Sometimes when WoodSpirit Gardens is contacted to install a Water Garden, the homeowner tells us he does not want fish.  We always inquire why because we love the beautiful domestic pond fish that have been gracing ponds worldwide for centuries.  In fact we often refer to these different varieties of Goldfish and Koi as ‘swimming flowers’.

The simple fact is that the Koi and Goldfish do quite well in northern climes. It is true that they originate in the orient but they are not tropical fish.  Thereby they endure cold temperatures quite well.  They are unlike our native fish in that they stop eating once the water temperature goes below 50 degrees F. They are like bears in that they hunker down and mostly snooze the winter away. You will find these amazing fish in the warmest part of the pond, (usually the deepest) waiting out the winter in a stooper. They move about no more then necessary to conserve energy.  Hence all summer they eat like little pigs in order to build up fat reserves to tide them over the cold weather.

So while they need no food over the long winter they do need oxygen to breath. If a thick layer of ice builds up over the whole pond, it is likely the fish will suffocate.  This is easily avoided by installing a bubbler (like a home aquarium), a pond heater to keep a hole in the ice open for air exchange or, and this is the WoodSpirit choice, keep your water fall operating all winter.

The waterfall is beautiful partially encased in ice. Plus you can still enjoy the sounds of falling water, of course fainter, and your fish will love it.  Of course if you choose this option, you will need a pond heater installed just to be sure your pump does not freeze in sub zero temperatures. Frankly, I love seeing the swimming flowers beneath the ice, splashes of color in an otherwise colorless world.

The last option is to catch the fish and bring them in the house should you have an appropriate container, or bring them to WoodSpirit Gardens to spend the winter as we do offer a 'fish sitting' service.

Other then that, fish require very little care.  You need not feed them at all if you rather not since they gobble up insects that attempt to make your pond their home.  They also eat algae and water plants.  But I love to feed them as they quickly tame and even take food from your hand.  They don't bark, scratch the furniture, mess the carpets, or chase cars.

They can fend for themselves when you go on a holiday and come in so many colors, sizes, shapes, and prices.  We are glad to offer a variety of fish for sale to the homeowner during the landscape season so you can pick your friend that could last a lifetime since some Koi are reputed to have lived over a hundred years.

We would like to remind all Water Garden enthusiasts that neither domestic fish nor Water Garden plants should be released into the natural water features since they could cause serious damage to the native fish and plants as well as the entire natural aquatic environment.  If for some reason you can no longer care for either, just contact WoodSpirit Gardens and we will be glad to find a new home for them.

So please, if you are shopping for fish or not, stop in and see for yourself why we think the Goldfish and Koi make the perfect animal friend.