What You Need To Know About Pond Fish Health

How do you make sure to keep the fish in your pond healthy? There’s more to maintaining pond fish health than feeding them regularly in the right amounts according to the season and using health supplements and also keeping the mischievous cat away. Having knowledge about just a few things that are simple, but essential, is key to encouraging healthy pond fish. Here are several main areas of focus when it comes to keeping healthy fish and koi.

Give The Fish Enough Space

Cramped fish are unhappy fish, and worse, can also become unhealthy fish. You must make sure the pond you have is large enough to support the fish and their growth, too. In general, pond fish need 10 gallons of water for every inch of their length. Some pond experts would even recommend the same amount per only half inch. If your fish are not fully grown yet and still babies, be sure to provide enough time for them to grow!

A crowded fish pond may look fine to a layman, but there is a heavy ecological strain on these ponds that make them fragile systems. The pH values would be lower, fish tend to grow more slowly, and there is a higher risk of spreading diseases in the pond, as natural selection does the job of maintaining the ideal fish to pond size ratio for you. To avoid losing precious (and often expensive) fish this way, be sure to maintain the right ratio of fish to pond water volume.

Have A Depth Of At Least Two Feet

While fish are able to swim in waters of varying depths, there is a general standard that pond owners keep to, which is about 2 to 2 ½ feet. Giving them some depth like this allows the fish to get out of the way of other fish or obstacles in the pond. This depth also helps fish in colder climates have enough space over the winter.

Plenty Of Sunshine

Sunshine is a natural resource that brings so much benefit to plants and animals, so it would be ideal if you can position your pond to have ample sunshine. Not only can the fish benefit from the vitamins produced by sunshine, but it also helps pond plants grow and therefore reduce nitrates in the water. Sunshine can also help the fish coloring become more vibrant, and already look more healthy as a result. Having a pond in the sunshine can also enhance the beauty of the pond overall.

Include Pond Plants In Your Ecosystem

There is a wide variety of pond plants that you can include in your pond to help balance the water quality for your fish to grow and be healthy. Some plants thrive in sunlight, some love the shade, and some float and add another level of aesthetics to your pond. Balance out your pond ecosystem with the appropriate type of filtration, circulation, and decorative rock pieces for functionality as well as aesthetic appeal.