Life in Ponds
When placing a pond in your garden setting, the whole purpose is to add beautiful plants and aquatic life you create a wonderful ecosystem in your yard. If you are not looking to create beautiful flora and fauna, then you may as well add a swimming pool instead.
After your water pond is built, removed on all harmful chemicals, and left to set for about a week, what kind of life do you add to your pond? To answer that, consider how much time you will be able to devote to your pond, as well as how involved you want to be.
When creating a Koi Pond, they can be very elaborate and a popular status symbol. However, they are also a little high maintenance. Koi need a lot of oxygen, so it is best to make sure there is a water aerator, or fountain feature in your pond. Koi also like to root in the bottom of ponds, and can send debris all throughout the pond.
Koi are also trainable fish. They can learn to come when you tap the water or swim in circles. This is done by rewarding them with fish treats or pellets when they do what you want. Koi are delicacy to local predators like raccoons, so be sure to protect your fish.
Goldfish are another popular fish, significantly less expensive then koi. Goldfish also require much less maintenance and come in a variety of eye catching colors. Goldfish will grow within the bounds of their environment, and can reach large sizes in a large pond. Goldfish may seem shy when first introduced into your pond, but soon they will be eager to come out at feeding time. Feed goldfish all they can eat for two minutes and then stop.
Other fish choices that are good options for your water pond include guppies, rosy minnows, or native fishes like Bluegills, Rainbow Dace, and the Golden Shiner.
You may find some local friends that adopt your backyard pond as a new home. Bullfrogs and Green frogs will find it hard to resist the luxurious accommodations you have created. Turtles may also stop by for a visit, as they can travel great distances for water. Make sure the turtles are not snapping turtles, as they can bite you or kill your fish!