Newbie Researching Fish Varieties

[Laaf]

Pet raccoon ? Your ponds and property are amazing!!! I love my shubunkins and other goldfish. I studied lots of photos and realized the best thing (for me) was to just go to a pond or fish store and pick the ones they have there that I like. My tastes shift a bit over time. I used to think some were funny looking and now they are my favorites. No two shubunkins are identical. They may look like twins, but as you get to know them they do have different markings even if similar. And most are very different.

 

[Lisak1]

Oh. My. Gosh. What a beautiful setting! Whoever built your ponds did an AMAZING job of fitting it all into the natural landscape. I would never go inside if I were you!

Here's my take on pond fish - they (meaning koi, goldfish, shubunkins, comets, etc) have earned their popularity by being colorful, friendly, and easy to care for. But they also are bred to be pretty when viewed from the top, like you do in a pond. Aquarium fish are meant to be viewed from the side - whole different set of criteria there. Some people want to add natural or native fish to their ponds, which could be interesting, but they tend to spend most of their time trying to hide the fact that they are even there, and their coloration is designed by nature to help them do exactly that. Goldfish and koi are sociable creatures, who, let's face it, love us because we bring food!

 

[addy1]

Welcome to our forum!

Everything is beautiful!

 

[BKHpondcritters]

Thank you so much! We had two contractors build them for us. The “little pond” was build by Southwinds in Hendersonville (they did all the hardscape) and the larger pond was built by Waterdance. Waterdance services my ponds bi-monthly and is my go to people for fish problems and pond repair. Who built yours and what is it like? Would love any advice you could share!

Mine was built by a landscaping company who works out of Ashe county & has (had?) an employee who had previous experience building ponds with a company in Raleigh. They did a good job, but we had to walk them through the aesthetic part of the build step by baby step. They didn't even understand the concept of having shelves along the edge for plants, or using rocks/gravel to completely cover the liner inside the pond (which is the look/style we prefer) Bog filtration would have been nice, and I really wanted a negative edge/beach-type entrance on one end, but... I think their brains would have exploded trying to do that. Overall, I love it, but there are just a couple things I would change if I could, at some point in the future.
Anyway, pictures! Here is a view looking down from our deck. It's approx. 3000 - 3500 gallons, 35+ feet long, about 10' wide & varies in depth from 1' - 3', with planting shelves on most edges. Two skimmers, one on each end, house our two pumps.

Here is the upper pool area which you can't see in the first picture (hidden behind the Rose of Sharon on the right side) It is about 4 - 6" deep & the water flows from the biofall around the gravel island & then down the main waterfall which starts just at the bottom edge of the picture.

Some views looking across the main body of the pond:



And, finally a picture of the small waterfall at the back side of the pond.

 

[LIsa Rosa]

Pet raccoon ? Your ponds and property are amazing!!! I love my shubunkins and other goldfish. I studied lots of photos and realized the best thing (for me) was to just go to a pond or fish store and pick the ones they have there that I like. My tastes shift a bit over time. I used to think some were funny looking and now they are my favorites. No two shubunkins are identical. They may look like twins, but as you get to know them they do have different markings even if similar. And most are very different.

I fully agree! Their personalities set them apart from each other even if they look identical.

 

[LIsa Rosa]

I fully agree! Their personalities set them apart from each other even if they look identical.

Pet raccoon ? Your ponds and property are amazing!!! I love my shubunkins and other goldfish. I studied lots of photos and realized the best thing (for me) was to just go to a pond or fish store and pick the ones they have there that I like. My tastes shift a bit over time. I used to think some were funny looking and now they are my favorites. No two shubunkins are identical. They may look like twins, but as you get to know them they do have different markings even if similar. And most are very different.

No, not a pet. But loved just as much! I am a licensed Wildlife Rehabber for N.C.
I usually have around 75 animals at any given time on this farm!

 

[LIsa Rosa]

Mine was built by a landscaping company who works out of Ashe county & has (had?) an employee who had previous experience building ponds with a company in Raleigh. They did a good job, but we had to walk them through the aesthetic part of the build step by baby step. They didn't even understand the concept of having shelves along the edge for plants, or using rocks/gravel to completely cover the liner inside the pond (which is the look/style we prefer) Bog filtration would have been nice, and I really wanted a negative edge/beach-type entrance on one end, but... I think their brains would have exploded trying to do that. Overall, I love it, but there are just a couple things I would change if I could, at some point in the future.
Anyway, pictures! Here is a view looking down from our deck. It's approx. 3000 - 3500 gallons, 35+ feet long, about 10' wide & varies in depth from 1' - 3', with planting shelves on most edges. Two skimmers, one on each end, house our two pumps.
View attachment 133495
Here is the upper pool area which you can't see in the first picture (hidden behind the Rose of Sharon on the right side) It is about 4 - 6" deep & the water flows from the biofall around the gravel island & then down the main waterfall which starts just at the bottom edge of the picture.
View attachment 133496
Some views looking across the main body of the pond:
View attachment 133498
View attachment 133497
View attachment 133499
And, finally a picture of the small waterfall at the back side of the pond.
View attachment 133500

OK, your pond is absolutely gorgeous! I can only hope my ponds look like that someday. All your plant life is absolutely stunning. I would love to be able to pick your brain on different varieties and how you’ve gotten them to grow. Are they in pots? Are they planted directly in the rocks? And if so did you add anything to the rocks to help them set roots?
do you have any trouble with predators? There are a total of six ponds in my neighborhood along with many streams and we have a severe problem with blue herons. All my ponds are currently netted and I hate not being able to interact with my fish.
A beach style entrance is a fabulous idea and I wish I had done one of those also. What I ended up doing was close to that but no cigar! My larger pond is about 35‘ x 35‘ it runs anywhere from 2 feet deep to 8 feet deep with a set of floating stepping Stones dividing the two areas that my koi can swim through and hide under. The 2 foot deep area was designed by my pond company so that I could interact more with my fish. It has a flagstone bottom so that I’m able to walk on it and a bubbling rock fountain as well as a rock that looks like a chair built in to the side so I can sit with the fish swimming around my legs.
The beautiful pictures of your pond make me realize just how barren mine actually are. I don’t really have many shallow areas in which to place things in the actual pond. I do have about a 40 foot long stream that flows into my smooth walled pond and I can get many things to grow in that mostly because it’s only about 6 inches deep. Any suggestions you have, tips, tricks, fav plants?

 

[LIsa Rosa]

Welcome to our forum!

Everything is beautiful!

Thank you so much! I am relieved to be able to find some experienced people willing to share their ideas. Are you a breeder?

 

[WaterGardener]

Welcome! Your ponds are beautiful.

As for fish, I have a friend in Florida that breeds Watonai. His fish are beautiful and very healthy and he ships them carefully. I have some of his fish and I'm very pleased with them.

He can be contacted at (e-mail address removed).

I also have some golden and blue orfes that we like very much. They aren't particularly showy, but they are very fast and fun to watch. They get large, about 2 feet long, but not as large as koi. The downside with them is that they can be hard to find, especially the blues.

 

[BKHpondcritters]

The only plants that are in pots are the water lilies because they need to be protected from the koi rooting them up. All the marginal plants are set directly in the gravel so their roots are free to run & soak up the nutrients which helps keep the algae at bay. My favorite plants are.... well, ALL of them!! I have lots of different iris, red-stemmed parrots feather, water celery, arrow plant, bog bean, ribbon grass, blue pickerel rush, several pitcher plants, turtlehead, variegated sweetflag, corkscrew rush, lizard tail, and... I'm probably forgetting someone. I do have some non-hardy plants in there too - impatiens, water hyacinth & umbrella palm (the latter is overwintered indoors, the others are replaced in the spring) I have one shelf area that needs a bit of a re-do next Spring, so I'm probably going to be looking for something different to try as well. (yes, I'm a plantaholic & could probably use with an intervention!)

How long have your ponds been up & running? I absolutely LOVE the 'floating' stepping stones across the middle. Your flagstone bottom will probably get a little slippery, so be careful walking on it once it gets a bit of an algae coating.

I'm sorry about your heron problem - We (knocking frantically on wood right now) really don't have them in our immediate area. I think the heavily wooded location keeps us a bit hidden from sight. I know that netting the pond is pretty much the only way to really foil their attempts to help themselves to your fish. Lots of good ideas on this forum from others that have rigged up net systems. I do occasionally lose a fish to raccoons, but fortunately not too often. They go more for the frogs, which we have a lot of.

 

[j.w]

BTW...... you missed the raccoon lounging at my feet in the other picture!

LOL, yes I missed that one!

 

[Mmathis]

@LIsa Rosa Siamese cats — my favorite breed! We have 2 Tonkinese boys, one that looks and acts more Siamese, and the other that looks and acts more Burmese. Seems that Tonks are hard to come by, so our latest additions have been DSH’s, all tabbies

 

[j.w]

Thank you so much. No way we built this all ourselves, unless you mean did we have it all put in? Then the answer is yes. It’s been a 4 year long journey but it’s been well worth it! When we bought this horse farm there wasn’t a single plant here. That Doberman is a Grand Champion and he loves watching the fish, he is fascinated with them! . I don’t know why he looks so big in that picture, maybe the angle? Lol (I say this about pictures of myself!) We breed and show Dobermans and Siamese cats.
What is your pond like? Do you have any pictures? How many gallons and how many/kind of fish? Is there any advice you would kindly share with a “newbie”?

Ah yes I see the other photo now of the Dobey in great shape! I used to have several Siamese cats many years ago. Love them, well have loved all animals all my life!

My pond is nothing fancy. I dug it myself many years ago. I just have goldfish and a few Shubbies.
About 2400 gal 3&1/2 ft deep pond. My only advice is to prepare for visits of predators somehow. I had to put up a net to keep them out. Tried everything else. Only the net works for me. Maybe w/your dogs you don't have to worry. I bet you have to watch the raccoon's tho being lovers of sushi

 

[LIsa Rosa]

Ah yes I see the other photo now of the Dobey in great shape! I used to have several Siamese cats many years ago. Love them, well have loved all animals all my life!

My pond is nothing fancy. I dug it myself many years ago. I just have goldfish and a few Shubbies.
About 2400 gal 3&1/2 ft deep pond. My only advice is to prepare for visits of predators somehow. I had to put up a net to keep them out. Tried everything else. Only the net works for me. Maybe w/your dogs you don't have to worry. I bet you have to watch the raccoon's tho being lovers of sushi

View attachment 133509

Now THAT is a net!!! Does it come down the sides as well or just hang over the top of the pond?
and your pond is beautiful. I envy you your palm tree. We can only grow one type here, although I do have tons of banana trees.
I actually don’t have to worry about the raccoons, they are usually taught to fish from there mothers (me) and I won’t teach them that. And because of the Dobes they really avoid my back yard where all the ponds are!! We are surrounded by natural streams and that holds their interest for more than risking my backyard!

 

[LIsa Rosa]

@LIsa Rosa Siamese cats — my favorite breed! We have 2 Tonkinese boys, one that looks and acts more Siamese, and the other that looks and acts more Burmese. Seems that Tonks are hard to come by, so our latest additions have been DSH’s, all tabbies

Tonkinese! Don’t they look just like an “Apple head Siamese”? Such wonderful personalities! My hubby just bought me a new breed, a long haired Siamese with cinnamon points. We are in love! She is pretty wedge headed like my short haired babies! I’ll see if I can find a pic of them.