Bringing Nature to the Pond
Life in Garden Ponds
Pond Life
Life is one of those simple bare necessities in the backyard pond. After all putting in a pond without adding some flora and fauna is like putting in a pool. You might as well add some chlorine to the water and get out the swim trunks. By the way adding chlorine to a pond that happens to have life in it is a big no-no. Chlorine kills bacteria and smaller life forms, plus fish and other aquatic life forms are highly sensitive to it.
The question is however once you fill up that pond, add a chemical to remove the chloramines and ammonia, and let the chlorine evaporate out of the tap water for about a week, what kind of life do you add to it? That’s a good question. It all depends on how involved you want to be with your pond.
Koi ponds are very popular status symbols, and they can be expensive. They are also a little on the high maintenance side. Koi are large but colorful carp that can get to a couple of feet in length. Being carp they thoroughly enjoy rooting around on the bottom of the pond and nibbling on plant roots and water lilies. This throws a lot of debris into the pond water and can muddy it. Many Koi ponds have little to no vegetation and are specialized to show off the bright colors of the fish. Koi have high oxygen demands, so it is a good idea to include a water feature, such as a fountain that will aerate the water.
It is possible to train Koi to come at a signal such as tapping the water with your fingers or to swim in circles by utilizing a reward in the form of a fish treat when they happen to stumble or swim across the action that you desire. Be careful to guard them from local predators. Raccoons have been known to develop a taste for the high priced fish.
A less expensive and lower maintenance fish that come in a wide range of eye catching colors are Goldfish. We are used to the idea of the tiny goldfish are kept in a fish bowl, but these fish grow until they reach a size that is in balance with their enclosure. So a Goldfish can get to be of fairly large size in a pond. Once introduced to a new pond they may be shy but after a few days will grow accustomed to their environment and eagerly join their brethren when you feed them. Instructions for feeding are the same as for those in aquariums, give the fish all they can eat in about two minutes then stop. For a Goldfish with flair try the Comet Longtail with, yes, a long flowing tail fin.
Other possible fish for your backyard pond are Orfes, Guppies, Rosy Minnows or native fish such as Bluegills, Rainbow Dace, and the Golden Shiner.
Don’t be surprised if you find that local wildlife begins to move into the deluxe accommodations that you have provided. Your pond may very well attract some Bullfrogs or Green Frogs. Turtles can travel great distances in search of new water territory and you might enjoy the sight of a couple of Painted turtles. However keep an eye out for Snapping turtles as they will bite, both you and your fish if they get too close.