Anything besides goldfish for a smaller pond?

[shakaho]

My fancy goldfish pond babies exceeded 6 inches of total length within a year. The 3 year olds are 9 inches total length. They are also both taller and wider than comets/commons/shubunkin. Nevertheless, you could stock your little pond with two goldfish.

Most people seem to regret getting mosquito fish, so the minnows mentioned may be your best bet.

 

[fishin4cars]

Another great small pond fish is the Paradise Gourami, I put two females and a male in a 20 gallon tub this spring with my lotus. this past week I took the tub down repotted the lotus and transferred 6 babies one mom and one pop to there new 8'x8' home for the winter.

 

[LedCorduroy]

Has anyone had any luck with the White Clouds in the colder temps?

I live in zone 6 (although we had a zone 7 winter last year) and also have a 50 gallon pond. I was thinking of getting about 5 or 6 of these for the pond. They have them at the pet store and thought I might give it a try.

I did find this nice article on White Clouds.

In general, I've had a hard time finding info online for small fish (1" - 3") that are suitable for small ponds (~50 gallons) in northern/cold climates. I typically come across this same list:

• Fathead Minnows
• Goldfish
• Rosy Red Minnows
• Sticklebacks

I've also seen articles here and there about mosquito fish, with many of them kind of suggesting to stay away from them.

 

[Mickowitz]

I have a mere 40 gal. trough pond. A handful of mosquito fish are a must; I have two shubunkins and a comet that have been thriving, so much so that they have already had one spawning frenzy that resulted in eggs and fry. Sadly, none of these survived past the fry stage.

 

[gimpy]

I second the rosy red minnows, more commonly known as feeder fish in aquarium stores. Very inexpensive, approx $. 20¢each. Very hardy once you get healthy ones. If mixing with other fish, you should probably quarantine them for a while. Lots on Google about them.

 

[JamieB]

Give us a rough idea of where you are so we know what you can expect with weather. There are tons of fish suited to areas that won't freeze, but fewer that can take freezing temps.

 

[Stephen Noble]

You might consider a small native species. Check with your conservation department for a species list and also ask if a permit is required for collection. Some our native species are as beautiful as anything imported. There is an organization devoted to native species. https://nativefishsociety.org/

 

[Stephen Noble]

There is another outstanding native species organization who might be able to help you obtain some captive bred native species. http://www.nanfa.org/

 

[IPA]

There is another outstanding native species organization who might be able to help you obtain some captive bred native species. http://www.nanfa.org/

Many years ago I went to a NANFA retreat. Great organization

 

[dakotis]

I have a good experience with Japanese rice fish. She survived in a pond through which a very weak stream flows and the surface of which I partly covered with an insulating tarpaulin. This fish has a specific behavior that allows it to survive the winter in its homeland. The fish sink to the bottom in autumn and survive into hibernation here in spring. Then, during the first warming in the burden or April, it begins to reproduce. Here is about the behavior of these fish in winter. something written. https://www.medakanoouchi.com/howto/overwintering.html.en

 

[skiingbowyang]

I would love some suggestions on the drops the stream has, around 3 feet of dirt changing levels. Trying to figure out how to stack the rock
to cover the liner. To be honest with you, I think a professional is your best bet. They will bring in what you may not have to do it right. Goldfish are ubiquitous in nature and can be found in rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, fishing ropes uae, reservoirs, and virtually every freshwater habitat on the planet from temperate to tropical environments. They have been introduced to many parts of the world to control mosquito populations.

 

[mrsclem]

Goldfish may be in a lot of areas but are illegal in the state of Maine. They are considered an invasive species and are banned. It is also illegal to have koi or goldfish in a pond that is connected to a waterway as they can release eggs and the fish will end up in streams and rivers.

 

[dakotis]

Japanese rice fish (Oryzias latipes) as I wrote above, could enrich our list of fish kept in a garden pond.

 

[TheFishGuy]

Japanese rice fish (Oryzias latipes) as I wrote above, could enrich our list of fish kept in a garden pond.

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