Pond questions

[JuiceBox52]

So my mum has wanted a pond for a long time. My dad is wanting to get her one. It would be 8foot round and 2.5 feet deep about 750 gallons. She wants koi or fancy goldfish and he wants some bluegills. I've read they are compatible. My question is how many blue gills with say 3 koi or 5-6 goldfish?

We will be doing water changes as often as needed

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I have BlueGill in my very large pond/lake. They are very active swimmers. They also like to eat native good. Native plants, snails, small insects, fish, etc.

I would say maybe 3 koi and 2 bluegill. Blue gill will get surprisingly
big, if given the chance.

Found this old thread: https://www.fishforums.net/threads/a-bluegill-caresheet.210675/

Bluegill get to 10"-12". I recommend at least a 55 for an adult bluegill, preferably a 75. Treat just like you would an oscar. Plus bluegill are cold water fish- no heater is needed nor should be used. Live plants will most likely be torn up and eaten aswell....

I agree with him. They can get big and they need at least a 75 gallon (preferable) for 1 adult.

There are a lot of other factors you need to consider. You also need to make sure it is legal for you to take wild bluegill.

 

[JuiceBox52]

We wont be taking wild bluegill.... will be buying them from a breeder

 

[Colin_T]

Don't mix native with introduced species. Make separate ponds for them or just keep one species.

A small pond of 8 foot diameter is too small for adult Koi carp, which can easily grow to 2 foot in length and some have been recorded over 4 foot long.

 

[JuiceBox52]

Don't mix native with introduced species. Make separate ponds for them or just keep one species.

A small pond of 8 foot diameter is too small for adult Koi carp, which can easily grow to 2 foot in length and some have been recorded over 4 foot long.

I knew the 2 foot, had no clue about them reaching 4!

 

[Colin_T]

There was a pond shop in Perth back in the 90s and they had a couple of big ponds with huge Koi in. Customers used to come in looking at koi for their small ponds and the shop staff would show them the adult fish. Some of the fish were monsters and took 2-3 people to lift out of the pond.

 

[JuiceBox52]

There was a pond shop in Perth back in the 90s and they had a couple of big ponds with huge Koi in. Customers used to come in looking at koi for their small ponds and the shop staff would show them the adult fish. Some of the fish were monsters and took 2-3 people to lift out of the pond.

Say we did just bluegill... how many of those?

 

[Colin_T]

According to the following link, they grow to about 12 inches long so you could have a few in that pond, especially if it's filtered and gets water changes. But I don't know how territorial they are so that would come into play if they are aggressive to each other.

BLUEGILL

www.myfishingplace.com.au

If you are getting them form a breeder, ask them if they are territorial and ask them for stocking densities (how many fish per square meter). Then go from that.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

We wont be taking wild bluegill.... will be buying them from a breeder

Ok, you didn’t say that in your original post. I just don’t want you getting in trouble with the Fish and Wildlife department.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

According to the following link, they grow to about 12 inches long so you could have a few in that pond, especially if it's filtered and gets water changes. But I don't know how territorial they are so that would come into play if they are aggressive to each other.

Yes, as I said above, they can get quite large. They are also very active swimmers.

They also prefer slightly murky water. They don’t want it to muddy, but they don’t want it crystal clear. If it’s to clear, it will spook them.

I have experience with wild bluegill. Trust me.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Say we did just bluegill... how many of those?

If you were just to do bluegill? I would say maximum 4. Preferably 3 though. You will also need room for live food. You can throw pond snails in there before you get them, they really like those. They also like smaller fish, insects (local only), worms, etc.

These fish are pretty, but they take a lot of work. (Also, make sure not to confuse Bluegill, with red ear sunfish. Two very different species.)

 

[Colin_T]

Phoenix, what about having 10-20 small ones and eating them as they get bigger,
then leave a male and couple of females to breed and start again?

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Phoenix, what about having 10-20 small ones and eating them as they get bigger,
then leave a male and couple of females to breed and start again?

Do you mean 10-20 small bluegill?

I don’t suggest it. If they are all the same size, they won’t try to eat each other. They just won’t. I wouldn’t suggest getting that much.

I would suggest getting 3 males and 1 female. Or 2 males and 2 females. Depending on what you can find. The males get aggressive during breeding season.

 

[Colin_T]

Yes I mean bluegills.

In Australia people with big dams or ponds often buy a group of juvenile fish or crayfish and grow them on, eating them as they get bigger. I thought maybe JuiceBox (trade mark limited) could do something similar with the bluegills.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I disagree. Bluegills rarely eat other bluegills. (Unless it’s during breeding season and another male eats a smaller juvenile fish that is intruding in his territory)

If you get 20 baby bluegill, they won’t eat each other. Bluegills mouths are actually quite small.