New Pond, New Fish. What to Expect?

[vestaviascott]

Just brought home 6 small 2-3 inch koi (select and butterfly) along with a 3-4 inch Shubunkin goldfish. The fish are, as to be expected, a bit shy for their new home. They are bunched together in a corner at the bottom of the pond. I have two lilies in the pond setting atop bricks that I'm hoping will be adequate for them to hide under when they are ready.

The fish, when they move, tend to move to the corners of the pond and stay at the bottom.

I suppose this is to be expected in the beginning. Do they eventually get comfortable in their new home and start swimming about and higher up?

Perhaps its a bit unreasonable for me to deprive them of the open channels in the concrete blocks that the lillys are perched on? I'd like the kids to be able to see the fish for the first few days and I suspect if I give them more places to hide they will.

About care of the lilies? They are are hardy lilies. It appears they are starting to get eaten by insects. Is there anything I can do to prevent this?

About feeding the fish. I think they are so scared right now, they are not eating. I have about 20 pellets floating on the water for about an hour now with no takers.

Thanks for the insights you can provide to a new fish owner.

 

[vestaviascott]

Update: I left the fish alone for a bit, went inside and got a drink. Looked out the window and saw a splash. Walked outside to check the pond and it appears that they are getting more comfortable. At least without humans hovering over the pond to check them out. I suppose they sense my presence there and retreat to safety.

Anyway, I watched from a bit further back and they appear to be swimming more and higher up. Once they see me, they retreat back down. I guess they will become more accustomed to the new home and to humans checking them out in a while...

Below > This hardy lilly was in poor shape when I brought it home. Should I just pull the damaged lilly's off and expect new growth to replace them?

Below, the hardy lilly at bottom was in poor shape to begin. It is growing but looks like it needs help. What should I do to help it out?

 

[DutchMuch]

I suppose this is to be expected in the beginning. Do they eventually get comfortable in their new home and start swimming about and higher up?

Yea, right now since you just added them, as you said, they are a bit shy. Once established and figure out whats going on, they'll realize its there new home .

About care of the lilies? They are are hardy lilies. It appears they are starting to get eaten by insects. Is there anything I can do to prevent this?

Do you know what kind of insects by any chance?

About feeding the fish. I think they are so scared right now, they are not eating. I have about 20 pellets floating on the water for about an hour now with no takers.

Fast them for 1 day, the day after, feed them in the Afternoon. They will eat.

Below, the hardy lilly at bottom was in poor shape to begin. It is growing but looks like it needs help. What should I do to help it out?

I say remove the dead or damaged leaves, then as new growth progresses, see if there are still any signs of insect damage or problems with the leaves.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Below, the hardy lilly at bottom was in poor shape to begin. It is growing but looks like it needs help. What should I do to help it out?

Remove the damaged foliage.
Where did you get this weak waterlily?

 

[DutchMuch]

Also regarding your lilies, how deep is the pond from the top of the water to the liner on the bottom? I don't see why you have your lilies on cinderblocks anyway.

 

[vestaviascott]

Remove the damaged foliage.
Where did you get this weak waterlily?

From the local aquatic garden shop. This one was the only one that had a white bloom so I chose it over many that looked much better but were not marked to indicate the bloom color, so rather than take a chance on those, I took a chance on this one. Hopefully once the new foliage has a chance to regrow they will be better.

Also regarding your lilies, how deep is the pond from the top of the water to the liner on the bottom? I don't see why you have your lilies on cinderblocks anyway.

The pond is appx 2 foot deep.

IF the lilies were resting on the bottom of the pond, the leaves would be completely submerged - is that OK?

The garden shop where I purchased them has them in 12 inch water troughs. As a result (I'm guessing), the vines have spirals. For this reason, the pads can't reach the top without the blocks.

Is it ok to completely submerge the lilies? I suppose if so, they will eventually grow to the surface.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

The pond is appx 2 foot deep. If the lilies were resting on the bottom of the pond, the leaves would be completely submerged. The garden shop where I purchased them has them in 12 inch water troughs. As a result (I'm guessing), the vines have spirals and can't reach the top without the blocks.

Is it ok to completely submerge the lilies? I suppose if so, they will eventually grow to the surface.

Assuming that these are standard concrete blocks (8x8x16), then the current depth of the base of the container is 16". Also assuming that these are typical aquatic planting containers 6" to 7" deep, this places the crown of the plant at about 10" deep.
They will grow at this depth but the generally accepted depth of the water over the crown of a Hardy Water Lily is 18" to 24", so these lilies can safely be placed on the floor of your pond.

 

[vestaviascott]

so these lilies can safely be placed on the floor of your pond.

Just to confirm, when I place the pot on the floor of the pond, all of the pads are completely submerged under water. Is this OK? Will it encourage faster growth so that the pads can sit atop the water soon?

 

[Jhn]

Just to confirm, when I place the pot on the floor of the pond, all of the pads are completely submerged under water. Is this OK? Will it encourage faster growth so that the pads can sit atop the water soon?

Yes it is ok. The pads that are submerged will quickly adjust to the new water depth.

 

[DutchMuch]

Below, the hardy lilly at bottom was in poor shape to begin. It is growing but looks like it needs help. What should I do to help it out?

The pond is appx 2 foot deep.

IF the lilies were resting on the bottom of the pond, the leaves would be completely submerged - is that OK?

Since your pond is only 2 feet deep, I would take those cinderblocks out from under the lilys, and plant the lilys AS IS on the bottom of the pond. (if you want something under them, use the cinderblock head, break the flat piece of it off.
The lily pads you currently have are ok submerged, when they start to melt CUT THEM OFF, even if it takes ALL the lily pads off, MORE will grow! its ok!
Time frame for new growth: maybe a week or 2.

 

[MoonShadows]

What is occurring in your water lily is the same thing that is happening to mine that I have been documenting in https://www.gardenpondforum.com/thr...-spots-that-progress.21955/page-2#post-353570

 

[vestaviascott]

Thanks all. I'll remove the blocks and submerge the lilies to the bottom of the pnd. I'll miss the two daily blooms, but I suppose those will reach the top with patience.

 

[mrsclem]

The leaves will adjust quickly to the new depth. You list your pond as 500 gallons. You will probably be fine with your fish load this year but your koi could easily be over 12" by next year. Do you have a liquid drop test kit? You need to be checking ammonia, nitrite and nit rate levels as well as ph.

 

[Tula]

I've followed your pond build with enthusiastic interest, it's beautiful ! At some point in the future, you'll need to consider rehoming the koi, 500 gallons isn't large enough for them, at least not six.

Enjoy your beautiful new pond

 

[vestaviascott]

Do you have a liquid drop test kit? You need to be checking ammonia, nitrite and nit rate levels as well as ph.

Nope. Are they available local or online only? And once I test, what remedies do I have if the numbers are out of balance? And what are acceptable numbers for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and PH?

We have some pet stores and an aquatic store (longer distance than the pet stores). Major metro of Birmingham so many choices.

I'm on my way out to home depot now so if there's anything i can get there for the lilies or the water quality testing, please let me know if you can. Thanks!