Many people have asked us over the years "Should I add goldfish or KOI (or both) to my pond? The answer is "it depends."
Goldfish are better suited to smaller water gardens and ponds, in the 50 - 500 gallon range. Goldfish are extremely hardy and easy to care for, which makes them the perfect choice for the new pond owner or water gardener.
KOI Feeding
KOI, on the other hand, require a little more knowledge and better water quality in most cases, than goldfish and are better suited to the more experienced pond keeper. KOI generally thrive best in ponds over 500 gallons (the bigger - the better.)
This is becuase KOI can grow quite large and therefore require more water in the pond for proper biological breakdown of waste. KOI are also more expensive (and harder to replace) than goldfish, so this should also be taken into account before filling your new pond full of KOI fish. More considerations...
Goldfish are an excellent choice for the average water garden that is usually also full of a variety of potted plants. Lilies, Lotus, Iris, and submerged annuals - these all do well in a water garden pond with goldfish. Goldfish will not disturb the plants, and will enjoy playing around under the lily pads without disturbing the plants.
Pond Goldfish
Japanese KOI on the other hand, and especially the larger ones, will often create a huge mess out of submerged potted plants. They seem to enjoy 'digging' in the soil of the plants and sometimes even knocking them over. This all leads to added mess in the pond, and can create a real problem for the pond owner.
Generally, it's best to not have submerged plants in large pots, when also keeping KOI. The ideal KOI pond is much deeper than the average water garden, so the necessity for plants to help with water quality and shade is reduced.
However, if you still do want to keep potted plants in your KOI pond, we recommend wrapping netting over the tops of the pots, to keep the fish from digging in the pots. Another thing you can do is to top the pots with 1" of pea gravel, and then larger river stones or similar over that. The KOI will not be able to get past the larger rocks.
As far as mixing Goldfish with KOI, this is fine and very common, we've just tried to highlight the most important differences between the two and between the average water garden and KOI pond. Feel free to experiment with both, and then decide which fish is more to your liking.
**************************************************
Brett Fogle is the owner of MacArthur Water Gardens and several
other pond-related websites including MacArthurWatergardens.com
and Pond-Filters-Online.com. He also publishes a free monthly
newsletter called PondStuff! with a reader circulation of over
9,000. To sign up for the free newsletter and receive our FREE
'New Pond Owners Guide' visit MacArthur Water Gardens today!
**************************************************
Do you love to cook outdoors but end up having... Read More
A Garden Pond in your Landscape - Want Water in... Read More
What is the first thought that comes through your mind... Read More
Known as "joy of the mountain," Origanum vulgare is commonly... Read More
Flower gardening is not only about the present, but can... Read More
Think of cyclamen and the chances are that Mothers Day... Read More
In today's gardens often populated by geraniums, roses, and zinnias,... Read More
Quality Dutch tulip bulbs are easy to come by and... Read More
Have you ever thought about how much it costs to... Read More
Purchased corn, whether on the cob or in a can... Read More
Materials Needed 1 decorative clay or metal planter 1 package... Read More
Do you have trouble starting your lawnmower up in the... Read More
What is more beautiful than seeing a home or building... Read More
To achieve Koi pond aeration, there are some things you... Read More
Having an ultra violet pond filter will give you a... Read More
As the curtain of winter lifts, tulips are one of... Read More
If you think that a large pond is simply a... Read More
Perennial plants and flowers stay around for more than just... Read More
Excessive organic matter in the pond provides nutrients for algae,... Read More
To keep wood garden sheds, arbors, or trellises looking their... Read More
If your fish hang out at the bottom of the... Read More
Container gardeners take note. Tired of clay pots? Think vintage,... Read More
If your grocer says, "Yes, we have no bananas. We... Read More
Damping off is the single term used to describe underground,... Read More
In years past, serious rosarians would never consider having a... Read More
You've put a lot of work into your garden, from... Read More
Decorative Birdhouses are active garden ornamentation --the presence and movement... Read More
When planning your new landscape, the first place to start... Read More
"Gardens are not made by sitting in the shade." -Rudyard... Read More
THE BASICS OF HYDROPONICS.What Do Your Plants Need?All plants need... Read More
It's gardening season again! Are you ready? Whether you are... Read More
Orchid Care Leaves Tell Us About Orchid HealthOver the past... Read More
Wildlife require water just as humans do. Water is essential... Read More
Mustard plants have been used for thousands of years for... Read More
Twentieth century American architect Phillip Johnson once said, "I hate... Read More
When the days start to get shorter, the darkness may... Read More
If you were to travel to Blue Mountain Lake, New... Read More
Do you love to sit outdoors and swing for hours... Read More
Are you like me? Sad to see the summer end... Read More
The Quest for SignificancePeople are looking for ways to add... Read More
The important question of whether or not to add salt... Read More
Adirondack chairs were invented during the early 1900's by a... Read More
Wildlife require water just as humans do. Water is essential... Read More
Are you looking for a truly versatile vegetable to grow... Read More
Scents from the rose garden filling the air as you... Read More
It's August, the weather has cooled a bit here and... Read More
There is a growing recognition, that the expanding suburban landscape... Read More
A rose is a rose is a rose - and... Read More
Here are a few tips to keep your garden and... Read More
People choose balcony, patio, and courtyard gardening for many different... Read More
Women take pride in home decoration and gardening and want... Read More
Part Two in a SeriesOnce you have your landscape design... Read More
Everybody asks about Easter lilies! Can they go outside; can... Read More
Dried plants and dried flowers are midway for people who... Read More
It's gardening season again! Are you ready? Whether you are... Read More
If you have never grown vegetables before the first thing... Read More
All your hard work has paid off, and now you... Read More
There's something magical about sleeping outside, drinking in the night... Read More
There are thousands of species of Palm Trees. They are... Read More
What is xeriscaping? You may have heard of xeriscaping as... Read More
California has earthquakes; we in the south and east coast... Read More
We've had some well needed rain this past week, though... Read More
Wild roses, of the genus Rosa, are those naturally... Read More
A few years ago I made the decision to create... Read More
Certain types or colors of flowers mean different things, and... Read More
First, this bug has many names. Some of it's names... Read More
Landscaping & Gardening |