Questioning The Validity Of My Pond (uk)

[saltynay]

My pond is circular with a central circular island

Total diameter is 210cm
Total depth is 60cm
Island diameter is 40cm and is a column down to the base
I work this out to about 70 UK gallons

It is natural with no filtration, no heater nothing at all. The plants are a few lillies and some duckweed. The current stocking is unknown last count around autumn was 8 adults and 20+ mature fry + frogs+ golden crested newts and some creepy crawlies no doubt. I think its severely overstocked and would stunt the goldfish but if so why have I got fry every year for the last 3 years with the adults being a good size I have actually been selling them to the LFS and they seem perfectly healthy. What can I do to help them and won't use electricity as that is way too much hassle with 10m of patio path in the way and the pond is concrete lined.

 

[Honeythorn]

Sell or give away the fry? Perhaps a couple of breeding pairs if you know which are pairs/male and female. It's the easiest way of lowering the waste load and gives the remaining fish more room.

Either that or extend the pond if at all possible ( or a second pond? ). If it's attracting newts then you must have a good natural pond, but if you do extend it you'd have to be very careful not to disturb them as they are protected.

 

[saltynay]

Well I will be selling the fry once they are old enough to show colour as my LFS don't want ones that aren't worth eyecandy. I don't know which ones are breeding pairs I don't even know the exact species When it warms up hopefully they will be active enough to be photographed and then I can identify them. Nowhere to extend the pond to and digging a new would be a possibility as there is plenty of space but we have been trying to sell the house for the last 2-3 years (timed it perfectly for the credit crunch ) so the effort and cost would be difficult to justify. Also extending the pond would change the habitat thus be illegal due to the endangered newts.

 

[Honeythorn]

If you could perhaps borrow or buy secondhand a small inflatable childs swimming pool or DEEP paddling pool, you could use this as a temporary grow out pond for the fry at least? ( Netted over to stop cats and herons ect ) Using some water from the pond ( top up with collected buckets of rainwater as it is a natural habitat for the newts ) mixed with fresh dechlorinated water they should do ok until they are big enough to sell.

Is there anyone you could give a few adults to? Any neighbors or relatives with a suitably sized pond?

 

[saltynay]

Need the fish to become more active first before I can attempt to net them but that is a good idea

I don't think any neighbours have any ponds I live in a house that is just outside of town nearest neighbours is a council estate 1-2 miles up the road.