Different Varieties of Pond Fish
- Many gardeners enjoy caring for fish in their pond.koi pond image by MPH from Fotolia.com
When fish enthusiasts decide to create a pond feature in their yard, the first type of fish they consider is often koi. It’s the most popular of all pond fish and the kind you see in ponds at garden centers and in hotel settings. But other varieties of fish are well-suited for your garden pond, too. - Koi are given names according to color and pattern.contented koi image by Geoff Hobbs from Fotolia.com
Koi are large ornamental carp originating in Japan. With their beautiful patterns and colors, they are a favorite of pond owners. Koi get their names from the Japanese word for their color and some may have multiple names: “ai” is “blue” and “orenji” is “orange”. The most popular koi are the metallic koi, known collectively as “go sanke”. They are valued for their metallic luster and all other koi are distinguished from them as “nonmetallic.” Koi are also named for their various pattern that pertain to the quality and percentage of scale covering. Butterfly koi are a variety characterized by elongated fins and barbels, or tactile whiskers. - exotic fish image by Marius Lazin from Fotolia.com
Not all goldfish are hardy enough to live outdoors all year. The most common and hardiest is the common goldfish. They are available in red and white, white, and yellow to bright orange. Comet goldfish are a species that is highly desirable because of its large dorsal fin and white and red or white and orange patterns. Shubunkin is a variety of goldfish characterized by a multicolored body pattern in orange, white, black, green, yellow, etc. They give visual interest to your pond as do koi do but are less expensive. Shubunkin are less conspicuous, however, unless your pond water is very clear. - water (pond blue) image by Psycience from Fotolia.com
Sturgeon are a less well-known variety of coldwater fish that will do well in a garden pond. The best type to use is the sterlet, which derives its name from the star-shaped body scutes (bony plate) set into its skin. This species is on the small side and requires well-oxygenated water. - The orange-spotted sunfish must not be kept with other sunfish.sunfish image by Lucid_Exposure from Fotolia.com
The orange-spotted sunfish thrive in outdoor ponds but must not be introduced into a pond with other sunfish. They are recognizable by the white edging around the ear flap behind each eye. The male has distinctive reddish-orange spots. - Tench are a low-maintenance choice for your pond.fish in bucket image by Oleg Mitiukhin from Fotolia.com
Tench are prone to linger at the bottom of the pond so work best in shallow water. There are three main varieties of tench: red, red-and-white and green. They are a low-maintenance fish. Males can be recognized by their large pelvic fin; a mature female can lay hundreds of thousands of eggs in a year's time, so if you cannot tell the sex when you are making your buying decision, buy only one tench. - Orfe require a spacious pond for swimming.Dutch spring garden with a pond and art decoration, Keukenhof image by e_annen from Fotolia.com
Orfe have narrow, stream-lined bodies and require a lot of swimming room. Purchase a small group of them as they can become nervous when they are alone. Orfe can be seen patrolling the surface of your pond on a summer night when they are hunting for gnats. Orfe varieties are golden orfe, silver orfe, and blue orfe.
