Hoffman's Garden Center



Fish, like dogs or cats, make wonderful pets. They add additional life & motion to your water feature & in some cases, can even be trained. Even more important, they play an essential part in the ecosystem of your pond.

Whatever fish you add to your water feature, be sure that they are pond fish suited for outdoor life. Aquarium fish generally do not do well. If you choose to have fish in your water feature, Hoffman's Garden Center suggests stocking it with the following types of fish:

	Koi - Ornamental domesticated varieties of the common carp. They are believed to have originated from Eastern Asia, Aral, Black & Caspian Seas . Koi varieties are distinguished by coloration, patterning, & scalation.

	*Butterfly Koi* - A type of ornamental fish notable for their elongated finnage. The fish are a breed of the common carp. Butterfly Koi originated in the mid 20th century as a result of an effort to increase the hardiness of traditional Koi.

	*Comet* - A type of fish that has a long (up to 12 inch in length) slim body & a high dorsal fin.

	*Fantail Goldfish* - The distinguishing characteristic of the Fantail Goldfish is its split or double caudal (tail) fin. The tail fin is medium length & is slightly forked as well. These fish are bred for showing & good specimens have complete division of the tails which are closer together at the top than at the bottom.

	*Shubunkin* - A type of fish that are almost always speckled or have a variegated color pattern. Often referred to as the Calico Goldfish, they have many colors including yellow, orange, red, brown, black, blue, purple, gray, & white. The color blue is rarer & makes this Shubunkin Goldfish more valuable.

	Mosquito fish - Commonly refers to either the Western or Eastern species of Gambusia. This guppy-like fish is usually between one & two inches in length, silver to gray in color & resembles the common minnow. It is very adaptable, tolerant of a wide range of water qualities & its expansion is only limited by severe climates.

How Many Fish Should You Get?
Hoffman's Garden Center recommends one inch of fish per one to two square feet of water surface area. One major problem involving fish is that often a pond is over-stocked.

You've Got Your Fish Home - Here's How To Acclimate Them!

When fish are moved they tend to get "stressed out." This reaction may cause a build-up of ammonia in the water in the bag that you do not want introduced into your pond. Therefore:
- Float fish in bag in your pond for 5 minutes - Open your bag, allowing some of your pond water in, but no water out - Float fish in bag for an additional 10 minutes - Away from your pond - Pour contents of bag into a net - Be careful not to get water from bag into your pond - Now your fish can go into their new home!

Some Things To Remember For Your Fish Friends:
- Most common problems often occur due to: over-stocking, predators, stress & over-feeding - For continued fish health, test your water regularly, specifically for pH & ammonia levels - A fish's diet depends on the weather & temperature - Feed them accordingly

Please Contact Us If You Have Any Questions About Fish & Water Gardening

For Information On Our Fish Warranty Program, Click HERE

CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE