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The fish in your pond will not only serve a practical purpose, but they will also add an element of character and fun. In the practical sense, the fish will chow on the mosquito larvae, which is an obvious and constant threat. Having a couple of mosquito fish, or even goldfish, will prevent the infestation of mosquitos. The use of pesticide in the water was not an option with our family, especially since our dogs consider the pond as their water bowl!
FISH
bring a fun and playful aspect to our pond. We have a variety of
fish: Koi,
Shubunkins, which are a type of goldfish
(see picture) and Comets (your basic goldfish). You should note: if you
are going to have Koi in your pond, you need to make special concessions.
Koi will eat your plants (they love to pick at the roots of our water hyacinth)
so you might protect them by placing them inside a wire barrier where the
fish can't get to them. However, if the balance is right, both fish and
plants can live in harmony. The fish also play a key role in balancing
the water quality. Their waste is essential to the health bactia which
keep the water clean and clear. Add fish slowly, start a pond with one
or two "feeders" and give the pond time to balance out. Then
if you like, add fancier types of fish one or two at a time. Get the fish
small and let them grow to fit the pond. (This will save money too.) If
you get it right and the water quality is good the fish will thrive. But,
sometimes fish get sick, so it pays to learn about fish
diseases.
Aquatic snails can be added to the environment. It is a good idea to talk with a pet store employee about what type of aquatic snails are beneficial and how many your pond will need. Snails play a role in your pond by helping to keep algae under control, but will also create waste and reproduce rapidly. At one point, our bog barrel had so many snails in it that we distributed them among the other two barrels. That move nearly depleted the snail population, as we found out that our fish enjoyed a meal of S-Car-go for dinner.
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