Popular Ornamental Fish for the Pond and Aquarium
Ornamental fish come in all imaginable shapes, colours and sizes. From the tiny guppy to the 80cm long koi carp, there is something for every aquarium size and garden pond.
Choosing the right ornamental fish
The great variety of species makes it difficult to find the right ornamental fish. There are some things to consider when buying the future inhabitants of the aquarium.
The different ornamental fish often have very different requirements regarding their keeping and food. For this reason, not all species can be kept together.
In addition some ornamental fish prove to be extremely demanding, which is why they are only suitable for beginners to a limited extent. The choice of the species in question must therefore be well thought out in advance and may take a moment.
Popular ornamental fish species for the aquarium
The selection of ornamental fish for keeping in aquariums is huge and offers aquarists an almost endless variety of aquatic life forms.
The following ornamental fish, for example, are particularly popular for aquariums:
- Guppy
- Neon tetra
- Discus Fish
- Platy
- Scalar
- The Guppy
The Guppy is one of the most popular ornamental fish for the aquarium. It belongs to the viviparous toothcarps family and reaches a length of about three to six centimetres.
The Guppy is a colourful fish that is bred in different varieties. Its keeping is considered to be uncomplicated, which makes it ideal for aquarium beginners. An aquarium in which guppies live should have a minimum length of 60 centimetres.
The small ornamental fish reproduce very quickly under good keeping conditions and can cope with various other fish species, such as Corydoras catfish. In addition to live food, high-quality flake food is also very suitable for feeding guppies.
The Neon Tetra
The neon tetra is as popular with aquarists as the guppy. This is mainly due to the unusual colouring of the up to four centimetre large fish, which have a turquoise blue stripe in addition to a partially red body.
The latter reflects light very strongly, which quickly gives the impression that the neon tetra glows by itself. Apart from this, the colourful ornamental fish are considered to be easy to care for and can be kept in shoals of about 10 animals without any problems in small aquariums with a volume of 60 litres or more.
Neon tetras can live together with various other freshwater ornamental fish from South America. However, it is important to make sure that all species in the aquarium prefer the same living conditions.
The Discus Fish
The discus fish belongs to the cichlids. It has the shape of a discus disc and reaches a length of 12 to 20 centimetres. Discus fish are available in different colours, such as yellow or blue, and are an ornament for every aquarium.
The ornamental fish, which originally come from South America, are considered to be demanding. They are quite susceptible to infections with parasites or bacteria and therefore require high water quality.
Discus fish should be kept in shoals of at least five individuals. Living together with catfish and platys usually works well, while keeping them in an aquarium with other cichlids or guppies is not recommended.
The Platy
Platys originate from Central America and belong like guppies to the viviparous tooth carps. The small ornamental fish reach a size of up to six centimetres and are bred in many different colours from white to orange.
Platys are considered to be easy to care for and do not make excessive demands when kept. However, as they are swarm fish, these uncomplicated ornamental fish are not suitable for individual keeping.
The Platy is a very peaceable and sociable fish, which gets along well with many other species. For example, it can easily be kept in the same aquarium with armoured catfish or guppies.
The angelfish
Like the discus fish, the angelfish also belongs to the cichlids. The up to 15 cm long ornamental fish are immediately striking due to their triangular shape alone. In addition, angelfish are bred in numerous colours, so that they are always a great eye-catcher.
Although angelfish prove to be quite easy to keep, they need a spacious aquarium with sufficient volume due to their size and the fact that they are swarm fish. As their height can be up to 25 cm, it is also important to pay attention to the depth of the water.
Keeping them with other fish, such as catfish or larger characins, is usually possible without problems. However, smaller ornamental fish such as neon tetras are usually eaten by angelfish.
Ornamental Fish for the Garden Pond
What applies to the aquarium also applies to the garden pond. There is also a big selection of different ornamental pond fish to choose from.
The following ornamental fish are particularly popular for ponds:
- Shubunkin
- Koi
- Goldleaf
- Rudd
- Goldorfe
- The Shubunkin
The Shubunkin is a breeding form of the goldfish. It is particularly distinguished by its attractive colouring, which is quite clearly reminiscent of that of koi carp. In contrast to the koi, however, the Shubunkin is much easier to care for.
The colourful ornamental fish can be kept in comparatively small ponds from a volume of about 400 to 500 litres. They reach a length of around 30 centimetres, of which their tail fin accounts for about half.
Shubunkin can live up to 20 years. They are bred in four different breeding forms and should be kept in shoals of at least five fish.
The Koi
The Japanese Koi is considered to be the king among the ornamental pond fish. It can reach a length of up to 100 cm and therefore requires a lot of space. A water volume of around 1,000 litres should be expected for each individual Koi.
Koi carp can live to be more than 40 years old. They become very trusting and even eat out of their owners' hands. However, their keeping proves to be quite demanding, which is why Japanese Koi are a rather expensive and time-consuming hobby.
When feeding Koi carps, it is imperative to pay attention to high quality. We therefore recommend using the special Koi food from KI-JA-KO.
The Golden Tench
Golden tench is a cultivated form of tench. The ornamental fish are considered to be extremely robust and also contribute to the cleanliness of the water. The life expectancy of goldfish is 15 to 20 years and adult animals can reach a length of around 65 centimetres.
The goldfish should be kept in a shoal of at least five animals, with no more than five of the fish being kept per 1,000 litres of water.
The water depth for these ornamental fish must be at least 70 centimetres. The pond should also have dense planting.
The rudd
The rudd is a member of the carp family and is also known as false roach. Although this up to 35 centimetres long ornamental fish is quite robust, it is considered susceptible to attack by fungi and carp lice.
Roach should be kept in shoals of at least 10 animals. They prefer clean water with little current. Your pond should therefore be equipped with an efficient filter.
The water depth should be at least 70 centimetres. However, shallow areas with a depth of about 20 centimetres are also recommended for the reproduction of fish.
Goldorfen
Gold orfes are among the most well-known ornamental fish bred for keeping in ponds. They reach a length of 25 to 50 centimetres and an age of up to 20 years.
Your pond should have a depth of at least 80 centimetres and water that is as clean as possible so as not to endanger the health of the fish.
Gold orfes are ideally kept in shoals of at least 10 animals. Their striking orange colour and surface activity make them easy prey for free-ranging cats and herons. It is therefore advisable to protect the pond accordingly.
High quality food for ornamental fish at Der Zooexperte
In the shop of Der Zooexperte you will find high-quality food for all kinds of ornamental fish. Whether flake food for the inhabitants of your aquarium, pond fish food or premium food for your Koi carp - at our shop you will find everything you need for a species-appropriate nutrition of your ornamental fish.
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