Garden Machinery
Garden Leisure
- Greenhouse Heaters
- Loungers
- Midgeaters
- Gas Barbecues
- Charcoal Barbecues
- Masonry Barbecues
- Furniture Sets
- Benches
- Greenhouses
- Water and Light
- Garden Sheds
- Gazebos
- Firepits
- Wildlife Boxes
- Rock and Stone
- Weather Vanes
- Rabbit Hutches
- Urns & Planters
- Sundials
- Birdbaths
- Garden Swings
- Climbing Frames
- Croquet Sets
- Wildlife Cameras
- Bird Feed
Water feature – selecting and introducing fish
A pond will remain clear and in good condition without fish, but adding them gives not only ornamental benefits but practical ones too, as fish eat insects and algal growths, both of which can make your pond unattractive.
Fish need room to move freely and corners in which to hide, but even the smallest pond can support one or two goldfish. It has to be big enough, or well maintained enough, not to freeze solid in winter and without protection fish will feel constantly stresses so they need plants to hide in.
Fish should always be lively, so choose swift moving, bright and smooth skinned specimens, a drooping dorsal fin, dull eyes and lumps can spell the signs of illness, and one ill fish can spread a disease to all the others with devastating effect.
The biggest cause of failure in a new pond is introducing too many fish, too soon. The pond should always go through a period of clearing before inserting the fish, plants should be given a chance to root and begin to grow and the small algae eating creatures that help keep the pond clear and support the food chain need to be allowed to establish themselves.
Fish should be lowered into a new pond in their transport bags for two hours, in the shade, to allow the water they arrive in to reach the same temperature as the water they will be released into. Once that has happened, cut two small holes in the bag, underwater, so a little pond water leaks in as some transport water leaks out, this allows the fish to adjust to the nutrient and oxygen levels they will be exposed to. After a few minutes you can open the bag and let the fish out. Do all this under the water – do not keep lifting the bag in and out which will stress the fish.
