Goldfish in the garden pond are very friendly creatures that socialize well with other fish species. However, the pond must not be overfilled and the water must be rich in oxygen and at an optimal temperature so that you can enjoy the animals for many years.
What conditions do goldfish need in the garden pond?
Goldfish in the garden pond need oxygen-rich, cool water (not above 20°C), sufficient space (maximum 2 fish per m³ of water), a partially shaded location, aquatic plants and a soil-gravel substrate for feeding, spawning and hiding. Moderate feeding and one day of fasting per week are also important.
They promise easy care, can reach the proud age of 30 years, but still require species-appropriate husbandry with sometimes serious differences between their living conditions in the aquarium and those in the garden pond. Therefore, not all species are suitable for breeding in an ornamental pond. The unproblematic specimens include:
- Grass goldfish;
- Shubunkins;
- Comet Tail;
And it must also be noted that a maximum of two of the fish should be used per m3 of water, as they multiply quickly and, in extreme cases, your garden pond could even tip over.
Selection of location and living conditions of goldfish
Plenty of space and enough air to breathe are particularly important and, since the oxygen content of the water decreases as temperatures rise, a pond that is at least partially shaded is optimal for the extremely active animals. Small ponds, which experience has shown to be more prone to foul gas formation, are best upgraded with a powerful filter system (€119.00 on Amazon). When stocking goldfish, the water should not only be pure, but also only slightly warmer than 20 °C.
The structure of the goldfish pond
While water lily leaves are excellent as additional shade, goldfish stand on aquatic plants in a soil and gravel substrate, which they like to use for feeding and spawning, but also as a hiding place from their natural enemies. We recommend the following plants, distributed as generously as possible across the pond basin:
- Common pine fronds;
- various species of pondweed;
- Canadian Waterweed;
- various cattail and hornwort species;
- Reeds;
Garden pond goldfish and their diet
A great risk that the animals will become easy prey for herons and cats is the fact that if they are overfed they quickly become overweight and therefore too slow. Moderate feeding on one day of fasting per week is sufficient, as the colorful animals like to get some of their food themselves and directly above the water surface. They love insects and help keep the bottom of the pond clean.
Tip
When the dealer puts the sensitive goldfish from the breeding tank into the pond, they first have to be slowly warmed up to their new environment. It is therefore best to let the animals float on the surface of the water in the foil bag, i.e. the sales packaging, for about an hour.
