Downs By The Pond

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Downs By The Pond
86663 Bailey Hill Road
Eugene, OR 97405
Phone: 541-521-7389
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Pond Tips

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Fish

1.Bring a pond to life Top
Fish bring a pond to life. You can almost see stress disappear as a person watches them swim and swirl. There are fish for all sizes and types of ponds, and the number and size of the fish vary accordingly. We recommend that fish be stocked at a ratio of 7 of fish per 100 gallons of water, in a well filtered pond.

2.Gambusia Top
Gambusia are the mosquito larvae eating fish. They are hardy, and, similar to a guppy, are live bearers and multiply rapidly. Gambusia are not usually counted in the stocking ratio.

3.Comets or Goldfish Top
Comets or Goldfish are best for small ponds, they come in orange, red and white, or bi-colored (Sarasa). We encourage our ponders to avoid adding pet store feeder fish to their ponds. Feeder fish are the culls and quite often carry parasites or other problems, and we know of several instances where entire fish populations , in established ponds have been lost.

4.Shubunkin Top
Shubunkin are a hybridized goldfish. They are very colorful, and usually have long fins and tails. Shubunkin are great for a smaller pond as they tend to grow to the size of the pond and then stop.

5.Koi Top
Koi can grow rather quickly and as they need lots of room to exercise, and plenty of oxygen, they are best in a large pond. Koi are magnificent fish, beautiful, graceful and available in many colors and patterns. They are broad in shape and were bred to be viewed from above.

6.Care Top
You are ready to add fish to your pond after pumps, filtration and plants are in place and established. It is advisable to check the pH of the pond (7.0 - 8.0 is best), particularly if mortar or concrete has been used in its construction, and raise or lower the pH if necessary.
Also important to remember is the chlorine or chloramines which may be in your water supply. Products, such as Stress Coat or Aqua Safe, eliminate these chemicals as well as heavy metals. Both contain aloe vera to help the fish replace their protective slime coat which may have been affected during the netting process.
New fish need to be acclimated to the water temperature and chemistry of your pond. This is easily done by adding a small amount of pond water to the bagged fish, retying the bag and floating it in the pond until the water temperatures are within 2-3 degrees. The bag can then be opened and the fish allowed to enter their new home.
The volume of the pond will determine the size and quantity of the fish for your pond. Don't overbuy- they will grow! A koi thermometer will help the novice learn proper feeding, as feeding is water temperature dependent. It is best to feed a high quality food for better and more complete digestion. Wheat germ food is recommended in spring and fall and growth food when the water temperature s are above above 60o.
We discourage the use of chemical additives for algae control in fish ponds. Most deplete the available supply of oxygen and do nothing except provide a temporary fix for the problem as they only treat symptoms. There are great hazards to the fish when the oxygen levels are low.