What fish for small outdoor pond?

[Aqua John]

Hi all wondering what fish I could keep in a small outdoor pond. Temps range from 40f to 100f. Any thoughts?

 

[Endlersendlers]

Hi. How deep and how many gallons is the pond? Are those outdoor air or water temps?

 

[10 Tanks]

Hi all wondering what fish I could keep in a small outdoor pond. Temps range from 40f to 100f. Any thoughts?

Hello Aqua. That's a great temperature range for an outdoor pond. Hard to believe you don't ever get freezing temperatures. Anyway, a pond is going to need to be fairly deep, at least two and a half to three feet deep, so the fish are able to avoid predators and so the water doesn't get too warm. With the heat you have there, the tank would be best kept in the ground to insulate the tank and keep the water temperature fairly stable. I don't think you can have a pond less than 100 gallons.

10 Tanks (Now 11)

 

[Aqua John]

Hi. How deep and how many gallons is the pond? Are those outdoor air or water temps?

Outdoor air temps. 2f to 3f deep and 8 foot across.

 

[Aqua John]

Hello Aqua. That's a great temperature range for an outdoor pond. Hard to believe you don't ever get freezing temperatures. Anyway, a pond is going to need to be fairly deep, at least two and a half to three feet deep, so the fish are able to avoid predators and so the water doesn't get too warm. With the heat you have there, the tank would be best kept in the ground to insulate the tank and keep the water temperature fairly stable. I don't think you can have a pond less than 100 gallons.

10 Tanks (Now 11)

Pond is above ground in a sheltered, shaded location. No freezing. One or two o/n frosts at worst.

 

[10 Tanks]

Hello again. As long as the water temperature stays fairly constant, the fish should be fine. No filtration is necessary. But, you'll need to remove and replace half the tank water every few days to remove the waste material. If the toxins from the dissolving waste build up, your fish won't live very long. If the tank is fairly small, around 100 gallons then most minnows should do well. Fatheads or White Clouds are pretty hardy. Goldfish really get too large for a small pond, so I wouldn't keep them. They need more room because they'll get pretty large. Just remove and replace most of the tank water every few days and everything will go well.

10 Tanks (Now 11)

 

[Back in the fold]

Guppies .

 

[Byron]

If your dimensions are accurate, the volume is over 3000 liters (900+ gallons). You won't see small colourless fish. Goldfish that remain small are your best bet. I had six of these in my 125 gallon pond for several years, year-round. Until the racoon discovered the pond, and there went the fish in one night.

 

[Ichthys]

A few Goldfish sounds ok for the size of the pond. I would definitely have it filtered though.

 

[Endlersendlers]

Is this a tank or pond? Dirt bottom or lined? Filter or no filter? Plans for heavy planting?

 

[Aqua John]

It's a pond, lots of plants, dirt and gravel substrate, filtered and submerged lighting. I kinda like the idea of a huge school of white cloud's.

 

[Ichthys]

It's a pond, lots of plants, dirt and gravel substrate, filtered and submerged lighting. I kinda like the idea of a huge school of white cloud's.

Please do. I love the idea of a huge school of anything.

 

[10 Tanks]

Hello again. I'd be interested in the type of filter you plan to use. My outdoor tank isn't filtered. There's just too much material that's blown in or dropped into the tank from the trees above the tank. I skim the surface regularly to keep material out of tank and remove and replace half the water weekly to remove dissolved waste from the fish. I have roughly a dozen large, adult Goldfish and 15 or so two to three inch younger Goldfish in 300 gallons of water. I don't believe a filter would last long because of all the debris.

10 Tanks (Now 11)

 

[Ichthys]

Hello again. I'd be interested in the type of filter you plan to use. My outdoor tank isn't filtered. There's just too much material that's blown in or dropped into the tank from the trees above the tank. I skim the surface regularly to keep material out of tank and remove and replace half the water weekly to remove dissolved waste from the fish. I have roughly a dozen large, adult Goldfish and 15 or so two to three inch younger Goldfish in 300 gallons of water. I don't believe a filter would last long because of all the debris.

10 Tanks (Now 11)

Pond filters have been around for a long time, and work very well…

 

[Ram419]

I used to use a waterfall box on my 40 gallon in-ground pond but the current was too much. I'd put barely straw bales in the waterfall reservoir to try and combat algae but never really tried to use any other filter media really. I lost the algae battle and ditched the waterfall that created too much current for such a small pond. I just use foam filter with an air pump now and it works great. I'm using a water dye to try and keep the algae at bay this summer.