Spring ... Time to Think of Fish and Water Lilies for Your Pond
If you're seeing your fish behaving quite frantically at the moment it's quite normal. Spring is the time that fish think of breeding and the impulse is triggered when water reaches a specific temperature combined with the daylight hours available.
The male fish often in groups will pursue the female relentlessly in an effort to fertilze her eggs which get deposited on plants or artificial structures in the pond.
The majority of pond owners will never see the fruits of this courtship because the eggs or small fry will be eaten by the larger fish in the pond. Occasionally a few fish will be "missed" by the cannibals in the pond and you'll be blessed with some newcomers to the pond which will show themselves when they are 1 inch long.
I have just completed a page on this very subject and if you think you would like to raise your own fish from scratch you will find the article quite useful. It deals with ways of separating eggs and fry from bigger fish so that the new fry have a chance to develop and then thrive. Here's the URL:
Protecting small fish (fry) and spawned eggs
Buying and Adding New Fish
Spring is also a good time to buy some new fish for your pond ... the biofilter will have started to "kick in" as the water temperature rises. However if you do decide to add fish to your pond be aware of a couple of things:
1. Do not add too many at once
2. Let the temperature of the water in the holding bag equilibrate with the pond water temperature by allowing the bag (tied up) to float in the pond for a while.
3. Stop feeding the existing fish for a few days before you expect to introduce the new fish and do not feed the fish at all for a few days after the new addition and then feed often with tiny quantities each offering.
4. If you're going to buy expensive koi then make sure you quarantine then for about 2 weeks.
Buying fish online is now possible using reputable online merchants such as Bradshaws direct in the UK and Drs Smith and Fosters in the USA. You will find links to these merchants in the following article just published:
I'm sure you would like to see at least one beautiful water lily gracing your pond. These plants and also other aquatic plants such as marginals and bog plants can now be bought online with complete confidence. In the UK Bradshaws Direct offer a range of what they call Thermomplanter Lilies. Here's how they describe these:
Thermomplanters work by keeping the roots of the plant warm by use of a low power-heating element. By keeping the roots warm the tropical species have a chance to grow and flourish over the summer months. Simply choose the lily you would like and we'll send you the Thermoplanter and compost then the lily of your choice will arrive shortly after. Our new range of water lilies are available in a fantastic array of colours, ranging from delicate whites to vibrant shades of blue and pink. They offer an assortment of beautiful fragrances and are the perfect way to add a sense of colour and tropical essence to any water garden.
This link shows images of these beautiful plants.
