Non Koi/goldfish

[Herpetology!]

My dad has a pretty good size pond (at least 200 gallon I think). I'm sick and tired of seeing comets or koi in there and I hate most goldfish. Anything I could "gently suggest" for him to add that isn't goldfishy or koi?

 

[Tempestuousfury]

If he can dish out the money, Petsmart has some sort of bottom feeder.... It's a different species than the koi, so I'm not exacty sure what it is...

Whereabouts are you located?

 

[what a load of pollocks]

if u mean weather loaches u hardly get to see them once in the pond as i have 5 and rarely see them but only few time lol

If he can dish out the money, Petsmart has some sort of bottom feeder.... It's a different species than the koi, so I'm not exacty sure what it is...

Whereabouts are you located?

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Nope. More like a shark. It looks like a clown loach almost... I should have paid better attention to the common name...

 

[Herpetology!]

hi fin banded shark or something like that...I think.

 

[mr.dark-saint]

I like my school of "Rosey Minnow".

 

[black angel]

Maybe you are thinking of sturgeon or sterlet? Most of these grow too big for ponds.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Nope. More like a shark. It looks like a clown loach almost... I should have paid better attention to the common name...

Its probably an orfe then. They spend most of their time at the bottom of ponds, they natural coloring is very dull so you don't usually see them unless you get them in their golden coloring form (looks yellow/peach color).

They are good for koi and goldfish ponds because they will eat any fish eggs in it thye find and prevent the koi or goldfish over-breeding and overstocking the pond over time. They do need their own specialised sinking food though as they will not thrive through scavenging alone.
They do best in schools/shoals of their own kind of around 3+ and do best in ponds with filtration.

Maybe you are thinking of sturgeon or sterlet? Most of these grow too big for ponds.

Sturgeons are generally unsuitable fish for pond life in general, i think they are one of those fish that shouldn't be sold- they come from very cold fast flowing rivers or streams in countries where snow remains much of the year around- putting them in a warm (even if it feels cold to us, the temps need to be around freezing point for sturgeon to thrive) stagnant pond, usually finishes them off.
Most at best will only last a decade, which is nothing considering some types can live up to 80 years.