cant decide... goldfish and koi or just koi?

[dieselplower]

very nice!

 

[Priscilla]

I had never heard of that type of goldfish! I wish we could get them here. Just gorgeous!

 

[talal101]

Keep in mind that goldfish will tend to eat mosquito larvae whereas koi ignore them due to their size, that and the fact that I like more movement in the water, koi can sometimes sit still but goldfish tend to move around everywhere and give action to the pond. Koi are also quite destructive (both can be though).

 

[BlueOrca]

I'm in the Variety category, I started my pond last year with mostly cheap mutt KOI and a fan tail, and 2 golfish/comets ( my Koi were $5 each). I built a pond for my parents years ago that defies conventional ponding, it is small (under 900 gallons) has probably 70 fish in it from a 20 inch golden Koi to those black undesirable ammonia producing goldfish, with shubunkins, fantails and goldfish as well as a 20" albino catfish in between. They lost half their water this winter due to a pipe leak, replaced it with tap water (untreated and warmer than pond) and didn't lose a single fish in one of the worst winter's ever.
Anyway, back on track I vote for variety, all colourful fish are enjoyable to have in your pond (not those black one's though ).

 

[JBtheExplorer]

As someone who doesn't like Koi, I say you should keep goldfish in your pond. Besides, specie variety is always nice!

 

[Priscilla]

I'm in the Variety category, I started my pond last year with mostly cheap mutt KOI and a fan tail, and 2 golfish/comets ( my Koi were $5 each). I built a pond for my parents years ago that defies conventional ponding, it is small (under 900 gallons) has probably 70 fish in it from a 20 inch golden Koi to those black undesirable ammonia producing goldfish, with shubunkins, fantails and goldfish as well as a 20" albino catfish in between. They lost half their water this winter due to a pipe leak, replaced it with tap water (untreated and warmer than pond) and didn't lose a single fish in one of the worst winter's ever.
Anyway, back on track I vote for variety, all colourful fish are enjoyable to have in your pond (not those black one's though ).

Stories like this always give me hope.

My brother had a very small pond, he regularly took the fish out, had the gardener clean all the algae off (his wife didn't like it), clean all the filters and the fill it with water and throw the fish back in. No concern for biological filters. Yet they lived (until the dog knocked the fountain over and there was no circulation).

Here I am stressing over every little thing. Checking my fish daily for signs of problems. Examining every inch of my pond for something. Getting every leaf out. And then stories like this pop up and I feel like I can and will be successful, my fish will be healthy.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Sunshine]

I have 2 Koi and the rest are Shubunkins and Comets. My pond is around 1800 gal. 2 foot deep on one side, 3 feet on the other. My koi for some reason aren't destructive like some say theirs are. Never had any problems with them tearing up plants and I have quite a few lilies in there. I wouldn't do anything different as far as water changes and filters whether I had the Koi or just goldfish. The Koi were $15 from our local garden store. I do thin out the goldfish in the Spring. I like the mix of different fish.

 

[sissy]

I have tested my water more often since the new liner but i really think the aerator has helped my water quality and the quilt batting .The basket with a pump in it is just around 2 ft down and my other pump is around 3 ft down .First 2 pics are before I bought the aerator and I saved a lot of my original pond water

 

[dieselplower]

Thanks everyone! I have decided to take the majority opinion which is to keep the variety! I am going to relocate the black fish though. I know some people like them since they are more rare but to me they are just ammonia adders. I am also going to put a couple more fancy goldfish from my inside tank into the pond, once the water gets warmer. I will relocate fish as my population gets over my 50 gallons of water per fish goal.

 

[Sunshine]

I have 2 black goldfish. Most of the time, when I get a black one, they turn orange after a year or so. I just noticed them this year, so we'll see if they stay pure black. As far as which fish you want to have in your pond, it's a personal preference. When I thin the goldfish out, I tell people which ones they can't have. I get a little attached to some.

 

[talal101]

I have 2 black goldfish. Most of the time, when I get a black one, they turn orange after a year or so. I just noticed them this year, so we'll see if they stay pure black. As far as which fish you want to have in your pond, it's a personal preference. When I thin the goldfish out, I tell people which ones they can't have. I get a little attached to some.

CANNOT agree more! I get attached to all my pets, I have had my salt water aquarium up and running with the same fish and crabs for 3 years now and my freshwater aquarium for just under a year....I plan on keeping everything for as long as they live. My budgie has only been here for a few months (poor guy is horrified of his own tail....don't even mention lettuce or Kleenex or a stick....you get the picture). I have had many pets over the years and never have I had to give one up where I was happy.....I still miss my chickens 6 years later.

Back to the original post, good idea keeping both, I think you will appreciate it sometime down the road.

 

[sissy]

I have 2 black goldfish. Most of the time, when I get a black one, they turn orange after a year or so. I just noticed them this year, so we'll see if they stay pure black. As far as which fish you want to have in your pond, it's a personal preference. When I thin the goldfish out, I tell people which ones they can't have. I get a little attached to some.

I bought 2 black fish and both changed colors and I wanted black fish .I think they look neat in a pond .Like a man in a tuxedo .But one turned gold and the other one is now white .Darn fish I have given lots of baby fish to new ponders who are happy to have fish and have seen how they have grown in the last 5 years

 

[Dave 54]

Missed this thread we would say go for koi simply because ours have given us 27 years of pride and pleasure if you want a black fish black koi seem to hold there colours permanently where as goldfish often start out black basically to keep them hidden from Preditors , then as they grow larger they loose it even the black moor is prone to turning colour,
so koi if you want a black fish find and buy a black koi
We have one with a white underside from the lateral line down and black from it up but when the sun hits it something magical happens as their scales though definately black take on a golden hue only to turn black again if the sun goes into cloud.
its so very cool as the koi is a doitsu

Dave

 

[dieselplower]

I have now decided to keep my 3 fancies, 2 shubunkins, 2 koi, and relocate all of the remaining common and comet goldfish. So I will have 7 fish in my pond until I can redo it the way I want and then I will get a few more koi, depending on how many gallons the pond ends up being. Thanks for all the comments and advice!

 

[Nepen]

That's great

I wish I only have the shubbies and watonai too but then my common comet (sarassa) are also interesting and add variety so I cant seems to get rid of them