When you think about pond fish, which varieties come to mind? You'll find that most pond owners are partial to three main types of fish: koi, goldfish, and shubunkin. Here at Modern Design Aquascaping, we love talking about pond life hope to help you better understand these popular fish for ponds and water features.
 
What's so great about having fish in your pond?
For one thing, fish are very low maintenance pets. Virtually everything they need will come from your pond. Because our water feature systems create a balanced ecosystem for your pond, feeding the fish is simple--you only give them as much as they can consume within five minutes to prevent excess food floating on the surface.
 
Pond fish are incredibly peaceful and gorgeous to simply watch. Watching your lovely fish and natural pond provides a wonderful stress reliever and tranquil escape from the comfort of your own property.
 
Koi
Most of us recognize the beautiful and various koi fish available for ponds today. Koi fish are carefully bred for vibrant colors and beautiful patterns. In fact, koi breeding is considered a long-standing Japanese form of art.
 
Goldfish
Many of us had a goldfish bowl as children. Goldfish come in a vast variety of shapes, sizes and colors--which can make them just as beautiful and fascinating as the famous koi. Goldfish also happen to be especially hardy fish--which makes them a very smart choice for new pond owners.
 
Shubunkin
While these fish are not as well known as the others, they are another wonderful choice. Shubunkin have an appearance that resembles koi fish, but they are much smaller and do not have those infamous “whiskers” used to root through gravel.
 
Other options
Minnows, mosquito fish and carp are all other popular selections for water features. The more you learn about pond life, the more surprised you may be by the sheer number of varieties of fish you may add to your pond.
 
As always, Modern Design Aquascaping is here to help you enjoy a better, more naturally balanced and beautiful pond. We welcome your questions about maintaining or installing a pond or water feature. Please visit our website or call 865-995-1234 today to learn more about our services and fill out our online form for a free quote.

As summer time hearts up, do you know how to give your pond the proper care? Keep in mind that as temperatures push above 80 degrees, you might need to give your pond some extra TLC.
 
Because warm water has a reduced capacity for containing oxygen, it's not uncommon to see stressed or diseased fish in the summertime. That's exactly when your fish will need even more oxygen than usual. Signs of stress can include fish gasping at the surface of the water.
 
What's a concerned pond owner to do?

    •       Your very first line of defense against such summertime woes is to work with an expert pond contractor to proactively design your pool. A well-qualified professional will take logistics such depth, plant coverage, shade, and circulation all into account when designing your pond to better thrive through the worst of the heat.

    •       Your next line of defense, if you already have a pond, is to add plenty of aquatic plants to act as shade for your fish. One common rule of thumb is to provide plant coverage of one-third to one-half of your pond’s total surface area.

    •       Next, consider adequate pond circulation to help increase the availability of beneficial oxygen for your fish. Consider placing the biological filter and mechanical filter across from each other in your pond to optimize circulation.
 
Once you have the proper pond setup, consider these summer maintenance tips:

    •       When you feed your fish, do so in the morning hours and don't overfeed them since uneaten food will decay more quickly during the summer and pollute your pond.

    •       Always remove dying leaves or flowers promptly so they don't have time to decay in the warm water.
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    •       In the summer months, pay special attention to the health of your pond. A balanced ecosystem requires little maintenance, but you'll still want to occasionally check up on the health water, fish and plant life.
 
This summer, if you have any need for professional pond care, call on the experts at Modern Design Aquascaping. You can visit our website or call 865-995-1234 to learn more about our experience and services for those in the Knoxville, Maryville, Blount County, Knox County, and East Tennessee Areas.
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