Garden Ponds and the Fish they contain

[secretsquirrel]

Having had a garden pond for more years than I can remember. Just thought it would be interesting to find out who else has a garden pond in Caithness.

I like most people started of with a pond that contained goldfish. The red/white, golden type and subunkins. I then moved on to a large pond which held goldfish, koi, golden orfe and a single mirror carp. Before coming to Caithness the only success with breeding I had was with the goldfish. Every year I would find 1 or 2 small goldfish that had survived in the pond. With coming to Caithness for 10 years know, I of course made sure that my garden was big enough to have a good size pond, approx 20'x10'x6' deep. The pond is well filtered with Oase equipment. I have also added a water lily plus plenty of pond weed. I was also lucky and brought my fish from their former pond. The fish have certainly thrived in the cooler weather in Caithness especially the orfe. What size of ponds do other's have in Caithness? What type of fish do you keep in your pond? Also is Caithness the furthest north for a pond keeper or are there some on the islands?


Living in Caithness I have never noticed the goldfish, spawning. What I was surprised about was that the orfe started spawning the first year I came to Caithness and have done so ever year since. So I know have a pond with 1 or 2 fish from each years spawning surviving naturally in the pond. I never try and harvest the eggs producted as I do not have the facilities for growing on. Has anyone else in Caithness had sucess with breeding their pond fish?

[Humerous Vegetable]

We also had garden ponds before moving up here, so had one dug out in 2005 - a bit bigger than yours, but divided into two sections - one side for fish and the other for wildlife like frogs and newts.
We have carp, comets and shubunkins at the minute, with the goldfish breeding(some years, but not every year) I bought in some orfe a couple of years ago, but never saw them again, so I guess they got snatched by something or other. I used to have a couple of ghost koi, which were my pride and joy, having grown to over a foot and a half, but they both disappeared last winter, with most of the rest of the fish when some wild duck decided to take up residence. We also get herons and farm cats chancing their arm out here.

[secretsquirrel]

good to see there are other people with ponds in caithness.

I have also had cats visiting the pond. Luckly never lost any fish to them yet. My big problem is a pair of seagulls who come down and eat the pellets I feed the fish.

never had any problems with heron. I do however have an artifical heron standing next to the pond so that's what I assume have kept the herons away.