Different fish species for the pond

Choose your fish

Koi carp among pond plantsKoi carp
Algae-eater fish in the waterAlgae Eater
Shubunkins in the pondShubunkin
Goldfish in the pondGoldfish
Sturgeon alone in the pondSturgeon
Goby in the waterTrout
Gold rush in the pondGold zipper
Windes in the pondWindes
Sunfish fish in the pondSunfish
Comet-tailed goldfishComet tail
Bittern lays its eggs in the freshwater musselBittern
Koi carp in the pondAll about fishing ponds

Four groups of fish-friendly aquatic plants for your pond fish in the pond

Van der Velde Water Plants range of oxygen plantsOXYGEN PLANTS >
Van der Velde Aquatic plants marsh plantsMARSH PLANTS >
Van der Velde assortment of water liliesWATER LELIES >
Van der Velde Aquatic plants Shoreline plantsOEVER PLANTS >
All pond plants

Fish-friendly plant packages

100% organically grown and hardy aquatic plants

ALL POND PLANT PACKAGES "

Curious about what pond animals are out there?

View our pond animals page

Pond Fish

A pond provides your garden with an enormous amount of animal life. Dragonflies, birds, frogs and if you are lucky even a salamander will find their way to the water. Fish are different, you will have to place them in the pond yourself. Which fish are suitable for the pond? And how many fish do you place? We are happy to help you on your way to creating your dream fish pond.

Van der Velde Aquatic Plants

Building or landscaping a large pond?

Simons consultation is going to save you at least €1,000
Contact Simon

- 5 tips from Simon for choosing the right fish for your pond -

1. How many pond fish and what species?

Because we believe in ponds that know how to keep themselves in a natural balance, our advice always assumes a pond without a pump on filter. Even in this type of pond it is quite possible to keep fish, as long as you keep the number within limits. That way, the pond - constructed with pond substrate and enough different pond plants - can clean up the fish excrement just fine. Furthermore, there is no need to feed the fish; they will find plenty of food in and above the pond. We recommend keeping 20 cm of fish per 1000 liters (1 m3) of water. If you have a pond that is not too large (read: not a natural pond), stock species that do not grow too large. Think of shubunkin or golden zipper. Koi ponds are a completely different story; read more about koi ponds.

2. Don't choose herbivorous fish

Of the many types of "pond fish" out there, not all species are suitable for every pond. A pond that is in biological balance is one with many pond plants. Then it is not wise to put fish in your pond that naturally like to eat pond plants. The goldfish is one such species, despite being a very popular pond fish. Better alternatives are bluegill or comettail. These fish naturally eat on the surface, helping to make the pond insect- and mosquito-free.

3. What fish in (shallow) pond?

Ponds come in all kinds of sizes. There are very small ponds, like a mini or patio pond, as well as huge ones like a natural pond or swimming pond. And very often people like to supplement their pond with fish. This is possible in almost all cases, provided you take into account the amount of water in the pond and the number of fish you put in it. Very important here is that the pond should be at least -80 cm deep to hold fish. Some pond types in a row:

  • Small pond: this pond type contains less than 10,000 gallons of water. Place only a few fish in this pond, such as goldfin, bitterling or shubunkin. Be careful that there are especially not too many because then the pond will not be able to balance itself due to excess excrement.
  • Mini pond or patio pond: these are very small ponds, often constructed from an empty barrel or container filled with water and pond plants. We do not recommend putting fish in the mini pond because the water warms up too quickly and then the fish cannot survive.
  • Natural pond: the bigger the pond, the bigger the fish you can release. In a natural-sized pond, you can think of bream, roach or carp. Want to turn it into a fish pond? Then place some predatory fish like pike, for example. These ensure that weak and sick fish are eaten and the fish stock remains healthy.
  • Pond for animals: it may seem logical to have fish swimming around in such a pond, but be careful with this. This is because fish scare off frogs and salamanders if they are large or many, and frogspawn serves as food for them. Place really only a few modest fish if you want to attract other aquatic animals as well.

4. Freshwater mussels eat algae in pond

Do you regularly suffer from algae in the pond? Freshwater mussels are also called the vacuum cleaners of the pond and are a clever solution to the algae problem. They crawl across the bottom of the pond and wherever they have been, the bottom is a lot cleaner. This is because they eat the silt from the bottom and also the floating algae floating around in the water. In this way, freshwater mussels filter the water, "processing" about 20 gallons per hour. This makes it a very good idea to leave some freshwater mussels in your pond. In fact, Simon considers these shellfish indispensable in any natural pond. You won't be bothered by them because they like to hide among the pond substrate at the bottom. How many freshwater mussels do you place? Our recommendation is five mussels per 1,000 liters (1 m³) of water.

5. Fish and water lilies

Those who like to have fish in their pond would also do well to install water lilies. Not only because water lilies are such beautiful, characteristic pond plants, of course, but also because fish benefit greatly from them. This is because they use water lilies to hide under if there is danger from outside the pond; for example, if a heron or cat comes to visit. For this reason it is advisable to prune water lilies only in early spring, so that your fish can benefit from the dead leaves all winter.

Fish of different shapes and sizes

Koi carp among pond plants

Koi carp

For enthusiasts, the pond fish is the koi. The beautiful colors and patterns that are different in each fish are often the reason for fans to get a koi pond in the garden. Traditionally, this hobby comes from Japan, but now keeping koi fish has spread worldwide. Koi are not kept lightly, as there are a few things involved. For example, they love to eat pond plants, which therefore have a hard time in a pond with koi. Read all about koi keeping on our page about koi ponds.

Koi carp "
Algae-eater fish in the water

Algae Eater

Algae-eater fish are a popular choice for many pond owners because they are known for their ability to keep the water clear by eating excess algae. This makes them a valuable addition to any pond environment, as controlling algae overgrowth is an important part of maintaining a healthy pond. In addition, Algae eaters are beautiful to look at, with an array of colors and patterns on their scales. If you are looking for a fish that is not only functional, but also visually appealing, consider an Algae Eater for your pond.

Algae Eater "
Shubunkins in the pond

Shubunkin

The colorful, often speckled shubunkin fish are popular in many ponds. They generally manage just fine on their own, provided you put out at least five specimens in your pond. They are true schooling fish. The shubunkin is related to the goldfish, but has a veiled tail. This species of fish was bred in Japan and crossed with a telescope fish. Shubunkins grow up to 25 cm in size and can live as long as 20 years. Place them together with goldwindes or koi carp, for example.

Shubunkin "
Goldfish in the pond

Goldfish

A classic among pond fish, the Goldfish has been a popular choice for pond owners around the world for years. This is partly due to their bright colors and beautiful fins, which makes them visually appealing in any pond. Goldfish are also very hardy and can be easily adapted to different environments, making them a good choice for both novice and experienced pond owners.

Goldfish "
Sturgeon alone in the pond

Sturgeon

The sturgeon fish is a slow swimmer that can grow huge. Therefore, place it only in ponds that are at least -120 cm deep and contain at least 10,000 liters of water. Sturgeon fish are good disease resistant and therefore strong fish. Perhaps they are a bit boring, as they prefer to swim in a pond with little vegetation on the bottom. Keep in mind that you will have to feed these fish yourself. They can be kept together with koi carp.

Sturgeon "
Goby in the water

Gobies

The sturgeon fish is a slow swimmer that can grow huge. Therefore, place it only in ponds that are at least -120 cm deep and contain at least 10,000 liters of water. Sturgeon fish are good disease resistant and therefore strong fish. Perhaps they are a bit boring, as they prefer to swim in a pond with little vegetation on the bottom. Keep in mind that you will have to feed these fish yourself. They can be kept together with koi carp.

Gobies "
Gold rush in the pond

Gold zipper

The orangey goldfish are schooling fish bred in North America that grow to a maximum size of 8 cm. Thus well suited for small ponds. They can take a lot when it comes to water conditions and temperatures, although they do not like too much current (like many fish) and a lot of vegetation is a must. Here they can hide well from possible enemies. Goldfish usually know how to find plenty of food in the pond. Those who want the species to reproduce do well to place water lilies; on the underside of the leaves they often deposit their eggs.

Gold Rush "
Windes in the pond

Windes

Goldwindes and bluewindes are fish that grow with the size of their habitat, they can grow as large as 50 cm. They are easy pond fish that are best placed in a school in the pond. Provided you don't leave too many in your pond, supplemental feeding is not necessary. These weasels find their own food and in the evening you may just see them jumping above the water. They are then hunting for insects, which are also on their menu. Gold and blue bindweed (also called blue bindweed) go well together in the pond with shubunkins. Allow for 20 cm of fish per m3 (1000 liters) of water.

Windes "
Sunfish fish in the pond

Sunfish

Which was once a good fish for certain types of ponds, but is now banned as of 2019. A very useful fish for your pond was the sunfish. Sunfish eat meat, so insects and parasites are on the menu. With that, they help keep the fish in your pond and your pond healthy. This is because they eat worms or leeches that can be a danger to koi, for example. The reason the fish are banned is that they also eat the eggs and larvae of other pond animals. So not an asset if you like to welcome frogs or salamanders to your pond. Adult sunfish live solitary lives, so only one fish in the pond used to be recommended.

Sunfish "
Comet-tailed goldfish

Comet tail

With its huge tail fin and mottled colors, the comet tail is a beautiful pond fish. It resembles the goldfish in behavior - and also here and there in appearance - but is a bred variant of it. Comet tails grow to about 40 cm and live long lives: they can live to be 20 to 30 years old. The comet tail is a shoal fish, so put at least five of them out in your pond. Count five per 1 m3 (1000 liters). They are very fast swimmers that find their food at the surface of the water. The advantage of this is that you can often see them well and your pond plants are spared.

Which was once a good fish for certain types of ponds, but is now banned as of 2019. A very useful fish for your pond was the sunfish. Sunfish eat meat, so insects and parasites are on the menu. With that, they help keep the fish in your pond and your pond healthy. This is because they eat worms or leeches that can be a danger to koi, for example. The reason the fish are banned is that they also eat the eggs and larvae of other pond animals. So not an asset if you like to welcome frogs or salamanders to your pond. Adult sunfish live solitary lives, so only one fish in the pond used to be recommended.

Comet Tail "
Bittern lays its eggs in the freshwater mussel

Bittern

Bitterns, relatives of the carp, are silvery fish that grow only about 10 cm long. They are perfect for small ponds. Like many small fish, the bitterling is a school fish, so place at least six of them in your pond. The fish like to live in shallow water among plants and pebbles, so a marsh area will be the fish's favorite spot. Bitterns eat plants and small insects. Do you want them to reproduce? Then it is necessary to place freshwater mussels in your pond as well. This is because bitterlings lay their eggs in the gill cavity of a live mussel.

Bittern "
Koi carp in the pond

Fishpond

Welcome to the world of fishponds! A fishpond is a magical place that exudes peace and relaxation. It is a place where you can enjoy nature and the soothing movements of the fish. Whether you are a fan of vibrant koi fish or are more fond of the serene beauty of goldfish, a fishpond offers a unique experience. Be surprised by the many possibilities and discover how to create your own fish pond.

Fishpond "

I would like free pond advice

Fill out the form below as completely as possible and you will receive customized advice.
FreePondAdvice
What kind of pond do you already have or want to have?
Select your (desired) pond

Frequently asked questions about pond fish

According to Simon, the best fish for the pond are Windes. Gold windes and blue windes are fish that grow with the size of their habitat, they can grow as large as 50 cm. They are easy pond fish that are best placed in a school in the pond. Provided you don't leave too many in your pond, supplemental feeding is not necessary. These weasels find their own food and in the evening you may just see them jumping above the water. They are then hunting for insects, which are also on their menu. Gold and blue bindweed (also called blue bindweed) go well together in the pond with shubunkins. Allow for 20 cm of fish per m3 (1000 liters) of water.

The 10 most popular pond fish are:

  1. Koi carp
  2. Algae Eater
  3. Shubunkin
  4. Goldfish
  5. Sturgeon
  6. Trout
  7. Gold zipper
  8. Windes
  9. Bittern
  10. Comet tail

Van der Velde Aquatic Plants Scores a 9.3 based on 435 reviews Trustpilot

HOW CAN WE HELP?

Free, no-obligation customized advice

Advice from Simon >

A clear pond in 6 steps

Simons roadmap >
Simon van der Velde
Simon van der Velde

Tips, advice and substantial savings

Tips, advice and substantial savings

I would like to share my experience with you, and advise you to solve any pond problems and reduce pond maintenance. As a result, you can easily save hundreds of dollars.
5 important tips

I would like free pond advice

Fill out the form below as completely as possible and you will receive customized advice.

 

FreePondAdvicewithoutpag
What kind of pond do you already have or want to have?
Select your (desired) pond

Maximum file size: 2MB

I would like free pond advice

Fill out the form below as completely as possible and you will receive customized advice.

 

FreePondAdvicewithoutpag
What kind of pond do you already have or want to have?
Select your (desired) pond

Maximum file size: 2MB

You're almost there!
Where may we send the Simons roadmap?
You're almost there!
Where may we send the Simons roadmap?
You're almost there!
Where can we send the most important do's and don'ts for maintaining your pond?
You're almost there!
Where can we send the most important do's and don'ts for maintaining your pond?
Ordering

The natural vacuum cleaners of the pond.

Limited stock, OP = OP

The natural vacuum cleaners of the pond

Ordering
Limited stock, OP = OP