Aquascapes Complete Pond Fish Guide

Everybody loves koi in their pond! They’re absolutely beautiful and stunning. Fortunately koi are also friendly, as they provide glimmers of color as they weave around lily pads. Of course, they do have their spot in nearly every water garden… but what about other options? Our water garden experts give us some great insight into other pond fish that could work just as well.

Pond Goldfish

Goldfish are a perfect addition to any pond, simply because they are resilient and able to handle harsher environments than many other choice pond fish. Another reason Goldfish claim a top spot, is simply because they are easy to care for. They’re great for getting started in keeping pond fish. There are many different types of Goldfish that would go well with your pond. From the common Comets (white and orange), to the wild and exotic Bubble-eyes or Ranchus.

Exotic Goldfish

Exotic Goldfish come in a wide variety! These showy pond fish include Black moors, Orandas, Telescopes, Ryukins, and many more. You’ll be able to spot these beauties as they have round bulbous abdomens, which sets them apart from most other typical pond fish.

These exotic goldfish must be cared for a bit more than other pond fish though. Over the winter, they may become ill if left to endure the elements. As these exotic goldfish grow older, they’ll become even more vulnerable, so even though they are absolutely stunning, extra care must be given to ensure the pond fish’s survival.

The main reason for their winter and cold weather weakness is thought to be directly related to the compact abdomen of these exotic pond fish. Their abdomen serves as a delicate balancing engine acting as a downward ballast versus the buoyant structure of the airbladder. Winter almost always messes up this equilibrium, which eventually results in the fish flipping over and dying. Fortunately, this is very easy to deal with – just bring these exotic pond fish inside for the winter holidays!

Shubunkins Pond Fish

This pond fish, the Shubukins, is a type of long-bodied goldfish that initially was found in China. The Shubukins is single tailed, despite the two different types which we’ll cover!

One of the Shubukins pond fish has a long tail fin, with broad tail fin lobes which around are rounded on the end. The other Shubukins has more goldfish features, but has a short tail fin. Shubukins are often used for breeding simply because of their skin colors. Most have red, black and sky blue coloring, which comes out to look similar to a calico! Beautiful!

The rarest of the Shubukins is the blue skinned, with many white and red accents, and small flakes of black sprinkled around. Many of these Shubukins appear to look similar to baby koi, but they’re far from it! These pond fish come in vastly different sizes, colors, and markings. Mostly, the Shubukins don’t have barbells that are typically found on koi. Growing up to 14 inches in a 180 gallon (minimum) pond brings these beauties up into our top 10 pond fish! Shubukins can survive hot summers and freezing winters, so they quite hardy for a pond fish!

Single Tailed Sarassas

The Sarassas are very similar to the Shubunkins in the fact that they have a similar body shape, but that’s about it. They tend to be quite a bit smaller than the Shubunkins and feature a stunning white and red skin that sparkles under the water. Some believe that the Sarassas pond fish is bred from the red cap oranda and the common comet goldfish. Sometimes they’re even referred to as the poor man’s koi!

If uncontrolled, the Sarassas will continue to yield more and more brown fish until the entire pond population has returned to the unselected comet and brown common goldfish ancestry. Fortunately the brilliant red and whites displayed by the initial water garden fish are well worth it.

Fish Care

It’s quite important your fish are taken care of so they survive the winter, and are ready for Spring! Whether you’re having problems with fungus, green algae, or simply just want to stock up on fish feed for the summer, we are here to help. Our store offers everything you’ll need to care for your pond fish!

Fish Supplies & Care

Orfes Pond Fish

Some fish that you may have never even heard about may become the perfect pond fish! The Orfes for example thrives in backyard ponds simply because their natural habitat, the Danube River, brings the fish to the surface, so they continue to do this even in your pond. It’s great because it can coax your other fish to the surface, which brings about even more visual life to your pond! These fish are typically a dark silvery color, while when the fish is bred in Europe, they receive a golden hue which really brings out the brilliance of this exotic pond fish.

The Golden Orfes grow extremely fast in comparison to other pond fish. A small two or three inch Golden Orfes can reach sizes of three feet quite quickly. These fish feed on larvae, insects, worms and more, because they’re on a predatory fish. Unfortunately this can put risk on your other aquatic plants (although unlikely), it’s good to keep in mind when considering this beauty. Orfes are also known to be overly sensitive to fish medications, so extreme care must be taken when caring for this exotic pond fish!

Pond Catfish

Another popular species of pond fish is the Catfish! While these are commonly sold simply because they’re thought to be great scavengers, they really don’t do much cleaning up of the pond. Don’t be fooled! Much like the Orfes, these pond catfish can grow to large sizes within a short period of time. As they become larger, they will eat anything they can fit in their mouth. This includes your other fish!

Other Pond Fish Options

There are so many different fish to consider when putting together a plan for your beautiful water garden. Some exotic fish cannot be put together, some require specific temperatures, and some just eat everything in sight! Be sure to consult a professional before making any purchase!

Check out some of these other pond fish if our previous recommendations don’t suit your tastes: