Ponds & Fish

This page last edited on

01 August, 2008

Ponds & Fish

	Fun Facts
	Plecostomus are bottom dwelling scavengers and algae eaters from Central and South America. They get to be over one foot long and mine have thrived in my ponds. They also eat the fish pellets and flakes on occasion. They help keep my ponds clean from algae and I love them for that!

Update March 2007: The ponds have been visited by a great blue heron and a great white egret. Please visit the locals page to view the pictures and movies and read the stories!

Dianes Zoo just wouldn't be what it is without the ponds!! Not only are they the talk of the yards but they house a lot of fish and turtles. Without the ponds I would not have the pleasure to see my turtles basking every day or watch the fish from my bedroom and kitchen windows. Oftentimes I sit out by the ponds and relax while watching the fish and turtles, listening to the sound of the water as it hits the surface. I absolutely love the sound of rushing water. The information on my pond tips and maintenance pages assumes you have goldfish and/or rosy red minnows in your pond. Please keep in my mind that the information contained in this website and on these pond and fish pages is based on my own experience. I still make mistakes and my way of doing something doesn't mean its the only way of doing it or that it is right. I am always open to comments and suggestions.

Pictured to the left is the deep end of the front pond which houses the turtles as well plenty of fish. Be sure to visit each pond page from the links on the left to view pictures and video of the ponds and fish. I started out with a 300 gallon pond in the back yard in 2003. Then I put in a 300 gallon pond in the front yard which had turtles and fish. As I got more turtles I realized the pond was too small so in August 2005 I put in this 1200 gallon pond. Along with the first front pond I installed an old bathtub in the ground and made a pond out of it. I had fish in it but when I made the large pond I took it out because it was only 60 gallons and far too much work to keep balanced. I made pages for the old ponds as well just to give you an idea of what they were like. Both the front and back ponds are enclosed by fences. I would never install a pond without it being enclosed by a fence.

After over three years of having these ponds I have learned a lot and can offer some tips on pond maintenance, not creating the pond mind you, but how to keep it well maintained! I can offer tips on raising goldfish as well since I've learned from my mistakes on them. I can't imagine having a pond without at least a few goldfish in it. You at least need the fish to eat the mosquito larvae, plus I think they help keep the pond natural looking by having fish in it. Fish also eat string algae which is helpful. Fish waste does cause algae blooms too but we don't live in a perfect world. Think about it...have you ever seen a body of water without fish? Please visit the pages on my tips for ponds and goldfish from the links to the left.

I love living in a warm climate so that I can have the turtles and fish live outside all year round. The only warm weather fish I have are plecostomus. I have had some die on me when the weather got in the high 30s but that is relatively rare here in south Florida. The bigger the pond the less likely they would be to succumb to the cold. Plecostomus come from South America. Most people call them algae eaters because they suck the aquarium glass as they eat the algae. In my ponds the plecostomus slowly move on the pond liner and eat the algae. I was surprised to see them also eat fish pellets and flakes as well as surface on the water with their mouths in the air. I don't see it too often but I love to see that behavior. All of my plecostomus have grown into large fish! The ponds must be good for them because they were tiny when I got them and now they are all at least one foot long!!

Raising goldfish is extremely easy in a pond. However, I found that fancy goldfish, you know the ones that don't eve look like goldfish - don't work well in ponds. My experience is that they die fast, suffering on the way. They have way too many health problems as a result of their breeding so I have nothing to do with them anymore. I NOW have only regular feeder goldfish in both ponds as well as rosy red minnows. These are the only fish to my knowledge that can live year round in a pond in south Florida. I bought a few feeders for 24 cents a piece and now I have a MILLION goldfish! The same thing with the rosy red minnows. Pond fish quite easily reproduce!!!

The work is keeping up the pond maintenance and you would have to do that whether you had fish in it or not. You would probably not have to clean the filters as often and you wouldn't have to mess with pond chemicals and checking the Ph without the fish but then again, why have a pond without fish! Adding fish and turtles to your pond really completes it in my opinion. Yes, you will attract toads and frogs to your pond and depending on where you live, other amphibians and reptiles as well. Be sure to check out my local sections from the top picture menu. I have an abundance of toads and frogs in the back pond especially. I love the tree frogs that live in the elephant ear plants on the edge of the pond. They are totally cool.

In essence, installing a pond in your yard will definitely invite the locals you never even knew about! You will get more pleasure out of your pond than you ever thought possible. Yes, its work but what worthwhile endeavor isn't work? Having a pond is not only a great environmental boon to your localized area but it is good for the mind, body and soul! Doing pond maintenance gets you outside and moving around and exercising your body, de-stressing your mind and giving you a sense of purpose. Its a great feeling knowing that you are giving a home to local animals that would otherwise not have water to drink, a place to mate, shelter from a storm. There is nothing like sitting on the edge of your pond and relaxing and listening to the "music" of the water and watching your fish and turtles swimming in your own little slice of heaven.

I hope that you enjoy the pages for each of the ponds and for my tips.

Ponds Page | Pond Tips | Pond Maintenance | Goldfish Information | Front Turtle & Goldfish Pond

Back Goldfish Pond | 2 Tiered Pond | Old Turtle Pond | Old Bathtub Pond

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DISCLAIMER: This website was set up to SHARE my OWN experience with my reptiles, guinea pigs, ponds/fish, gardens and local wildlife and to post pictures and video of them. It was NOT SET UP to offer my opinion or expertise on ANY QUESTION that I am asked and what I post on this website should not be taken as "EXPERT ADVISE" or how to take care of reptiles, guinea pigs, ponds/fish, gardens or local wildlife. I AM NOT A REPTILE RESCUE GROUP, GUINEA PIG RESCUE GROUP, VETERINARIAN, REPTILE EXPERT, GUINEA PIG EXPERT, PONDS/FISH EXPERT, GARDEN EXPERT OR WILDLIFE REHABILITATOR! I have limited experience with reptiles, guinea pigs, local wildlife, ponds/fish and gardens, therefore, I am NOT QUALIFIED to give out advise or answer questions and you, as a visitor to this website, should not take anything on this website as expert advise or accurate information. I present this website for fun and fun only - NOT as a reference website to instruct anyone on how to properly take care of reptiles, guinea pigs, local wildlife, ponds/fish or gardens. I share how I DO THINGS for my reptiles, guinea pigs, local wildlife, ponds/fish and gardens and this is not intended for others to take as expert advise or to mimic. Furthermore, my political views are my own and not intended to offend, annoy, hurt or demean any person, entity or organization. I express my views as an American who has the right to free speech under the Constitution of the United States of America. Please feel free to set up your own website and express your views, post your pictures and video and share with the rest of us in cyberspace what your little corner of the world is like. Thank you very much for your kind understanding in appreciating the value and contents of this website.

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