What should be considered when keeping goldfish in a pond in a species-appropriate manner? What do goldfish actually eat in the pond? How can goldfish overwinter in the pond? Do you have important questions running through your head about the perfect goldfish pond? Read well-founded answers and useful tips for solving problems here.

Goldfish need food, oxygen and a place to hide

Table of Contents

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  1. the essentials in brief
  2. Goldfish pond framework
  3. Pond Attitude Questions & Answers
  4. How to solve problems?
  5. frequently asked Questions

    6. the essentials in brief

    • Goldfish in the pond need: 2,000 liters in size, 1.20 m depth, 20° Celsius temperature (4°-30°), pond plants, water filter and oxygen pump.
    • Goldfish in the pond eat insects, frogs, spawn, amphibians, mosquito larvae and special goldfish food if required.
    • Adult and young goldfish can overwinter in the pond if the ice cover does not completely freeze over at a minimum depth of 1.20 m.

    Goldfish pond in top form - What framework conditions?

    Goldfish are an asset to any garden pond

    If goldfish had a say, they would advocate a social life in the garden pond. The robust schooling fish are slow swimmers who prefer to swim their lengths just under the water surface in search of food. A large, partially shaded pond surface with great hiding places is at the top of the wish list. The following table summarizes the general conditions with which you can make goldfish happy in the pond and nip problems in the bud:

    general conditions Mandatory
    size 2,000L
    depth 1.20 m (deepest point)
    water temperature 20° (4° to 30°)
    Quantity 2-4 goldfish/m³
    equipment + filters
    + pond aerator
    planting + floating plants
    + Underwater plants
    + shore plants

    Regardless of a strong preference for a social life, each goldfish needs a water volume of at least 200 liters, better 400 liters. Dense bank planting, decorative floating leaf plants and underwater plants offer retreats and make an important contribution to water quality.

    In the following video, an experienced hobby gardener presents his goldfish in the pond and gives numerous tips from his 15 years of experience:

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    Goldfish Attitude in the Pond - 10 Questions and Answers

    The species-appropriate keeping of goldfish in the pond raises questions. You can read the 10 most frequently asked questions with compact answers here:

    What do goldfish eat in the pond?

    Goldfish are omnivores with a soft spot for mosquito larvae, aquatic insects, spawn and other amphibians. If the natural food supply in the large pond is not sufficient, you should also feed goldfish in the pond with special goldfish food, ideally supplemented with frozen red mosquito larvae from specialist shops. This is to be noted:

    • From when to feed?: from temperatures of 8° to 10° Celsius
    • How often to feed?: every 2 to 3 days (the larger the pond, the more often)
    • feed how much: small portions that can be plastered within a few minutes

    How can young goldfish overwinter in the pond?

    Goldfish can hibernate in the pond if it is deep enough and kept ice-free

    If a garden pond is large and deep enough (from 120 cm), young goldfish can easily overwinter in it. Ice preventers or pond heaters prevent a closed ice cover from forming. This ensures the vital exchange of oxygen and fermentation gases.

    How old do goldfish get in the pond?

    If kept in a species-appropriate manner with a varied diet, goldfish can reach an age of 15 to 25 years in the pond.

    Do goldfish need a filter in the pond?

    Clean water is the lifeblood of goldfish. A filter in the pond is invaluable to prevent excrement, rotted plants and uneaten food from accumulating.

    Can you keep koi and goldfish together in the pond?

    The socialization of koi carp and goldfish has not proven itself in practice. Goldfish spawn a month before koi and develop rapidly. As a result, the koi fry are mostly completely eaten by hungry goldfish. Better companions in the koi pond are gold orfs, who disdain to spawn.

    Do goldfish need oxygen in the pond?

    A fountain guarantees sufficient oxygen levels in the pond

    Goldfish in the pond are dependent on a continuous supply of oxygen at any time of the year. The most common cause of death for goldfish is suffocation, because a compact ice cover forms on the pond in winter and the oxygen supply comes to a standstill.

    Can goldfish be kept in a pond without a pump?

    If you subject your goldfish to a pond without an oxygen pump, the animals will struggle to survive every day. The oxygen production from the aquatic plants used is too scarce. By installing a pump in the pond, you give your golden darlings a happy, healthy life.

    What is a suitable hiding place for goldfish in the pond?

    Green plants on land and in water serve as ideal hiding places for goldfish in the pond. A balanced combination of bank, floating and underwater plants is recommended:

    • shore, shallow water plants: Marsh iris (Iris pseudacorus), buckbean (Menyanthes trifoliata)
    • floating plants: Water lily (Nymphaea), Floating pondweed (Potamogeton natans)
    • underwater plants: Hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum), needle rush (Eleocharis acicularis)

    Goldfish need plants to hide

    Do sticklebacks and goldfish get along in the pond?

    Basically everything in the pond is edible for goldfish, including sticklebacks swimming around. Over time, word got around in the goldfish school that this food has spines that scratch the throat terribly. Of course, the learning process takes a long time and is dramatically decimating the stickleback population.

    Do frogs and goldfish get along in the pond?

    Coexistence with goldfish does not end well for frogs. As omnivores, goldfish eat whatever fits in their mouths. For a 30 to 40 centimeter goldfish, an innocent little frog comes in handy as a bite-sized snack.

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    Breeding in the goldfish pond

    In the goldfish swarm, there are rough customs when it comes to reproduction. As soon as water temperatures rise in spring, mating begins. Females simply release fertilized eggs into the water and no longer bother with them. Baby goldfish need to be careful. Adult goldfish are spawn robbers that relentlessly pursue their brood. For this reason, shallow water zones with fine-feathered aquatic plants are vital hiding places for small goldfish in the pond.

    Solving problems - 10 questions & answers

    Life pulsates in the goldfish pond with all the imponderables that an ecosystem can bring with it. Problems arise out of the blue that call for a timely solution. Read the tried-and-tested answers to ten typical problem questions below:

    Goldfish just swim to the top and gasp at the surface. What to do?

    If the goldfish are constantly gasping for air, they are lacking oxygen

    Acute lack of oxygen causes goldfish to gasp desperately for air. As an immediate measure, please supply as much fresh water as possible. Use a pond aerator or a pump to permanently enrich the water with oxygen.

    Why are my goldfish just swimming at the bottom?

    If herons regularly visit the pond, frightened goldfish prefer to stay on the bottom. Furthermore, various diseases in goldfish cause this atypical behavior.

    Goldfish hunt each other all day long. What does that mean?

    This behavior indicates that the pond will soon be full of baby goldfish. Part of the ritual of reproduction is goldfish chasing each other.

    Goldfish in the pond swim at an angle. are you sick

    Yes, because swimming disorders are a typical symptom of diseases. The spectrum ranges from parasite infestation and bacterial infections to the widespread inflammation of the swim bladder. For an expert diagnosis, please consult your trusted veterinarian.

    Why are my goldfish hiding all the time?

    In this way, young goldfish keep themselves safe from adult conspecifics so as not to be eaten. If herons and other fish predators regularly drop by the pond, the entire swarm hides under floating and marsh plants as a precaution.

    Can goldfish starve in the pond?

    Goldfish should be fed regularly

    Insect migration, spawning and amphibians alone do not cover the food requirements in a large pond. Small, shy goldfish can then starve because the big, cheeky fellows eat everything away. By providing the shoal with fish food every two to three days, no goldfish will have to complain about a growling stomach.

    Many goldfish are gone. What happened?

    If the goldfish population in the pond was severely depleted, the heron was there. It cannot be ruled out that great egrets, little egrets or night herons also used the fish available.

    Which problems require a temporarily higher salinity in the pond?

    If goldfish suffer from diseases in the pond, a temporarily higher salt content can be beneficial. However, salt is not a panacea for sick goldfish. Salt baths work wonders for parasites. If other diseases are rampant, however, a higher salt content can slow down the effectiveness of prescribed medication. Please ask a specialized veterinarian for details.

    Goldfish jump in the pond. What is the reason?

    Goldfish, plagued by severe itching, are jumping around in the pond. The main causes are annoying parasites such as flukes. Other triggers for the unusual behavior are acute lack of oxygen or a particularly stormy mating ritual.

    Suddenly there are dead goldfish in the pond. Why are the fish dying suddenly?

    A variety of causes can be responsible for the sudden death of a fish in a goldfish pond. We have compiled the most common triggers below:

    • Lack of oxygen as a result of summer heat with more than 30° Celsius
    • Diseases such as dropsy (ascites) or white spot disease (ichthyo)
    • Poisoned water from copper pipes, increased nitrate values (over 30 mg/l) or too high a pH value of more than 7

    frequently asked Questions

    Why won't my goldfish come to the surface in the pond?

    If goldfish are no longer visible on the surface of the pond, please check the water quality. If the values are okay, lie in wait for a few hours. Chances are you'll catch a heron in the act, which will scare your goldfish so much that they'll stay on the bottom.

    We have too many goldfish in the pond. How to get rid of the surplus fish?

    As a rule, it is necessary to drain the pond to a large extent. With a fish net, you can gently catch the excess goldfish. Ideally, give away the pretty ornamental fish or relocate them elsewhere. Please act at your own discretion and for the good of the goldfish on this issue.

    Goldfish in the pond no longer eat. Can they starve?

    When goldfish stop eating in the pond, winter is usually just around the corner. From temperatures below 10° Celsius, the ornamental fish prescribe a zero diet until spring. The survivors cannot starve during this time.

    tips

    If a plant island gently sways on the water surface, goldfish benefit from the decorative extra oxygen. When planting, green lightweights among the aquatic plants, such as frog spoons or dwarf rushes, have priority. The long roots extract nutrients from the water and prevent algae growth. Under the plant island, goldfish find an ideal hiding place and protection from the blazing summer sun.

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Garden design