Pond Fish - Low Maintenance Pets

Maintaining a fish pond is surprisingly simple.  Once your pond is established and the water and plant materials are well balanced, adding koi or other fish is the next step. On a peaceful summer evening, fish can be entertaining. You might catch them chasing each other or jumping in and out of the water.

Pond fish, like all other living animals, must eat in order to live. The food their bodies cannot use is released back into the water as waste. Plants living in the water release waste into the water as well. This waste can be deadly for fish. As the waste decomposes, it depletes the level of oxygen in the water. When the fish cannot receive any oxygen, they will eventually die.

Keeping the water clean and aerated with a filter will reduce waste making the pond a better place for the pond fish to live. The pond can be naturally cleaned by adding bottom feeders, another kind of fish, that lives on the bottom of the water and eats any excess food that would otherwise decompose.  Avoid using fertilizer and other chemicals on the plants that live in the pond. These chemicals can seep into the water. The pond fish will not be able to survive in water that has been contaminated with chemicals.

The fish will mostly be able to live off of the insects that drop into the water. To be safe, supplement the local insect supply with fish food from a pet or garden store. If you drop in a few pieces and the fish eat it quickly, chances are they are not getting enough insects to eat. Continue feeding them the fish food regularly.