How to Breed Pond Fish

The two most common pond fish are koi and goldfish. Both are varieties of carp. Breeding either koi or goldfish is relatively easy, provided certain conditions are met. Breeding requirements for almost any pond fish are almost identical to the requirements for carp, so regardless of the type of fish you are attempting to breed, the instructions in this article should suffice.Having a second pond into which the eggs can be placed before they hatch will dramatically increase your production of new fish. If that is not possible, placing netting or screens into the water to separate the adult fish from the egg-laying area will also help in the production of new fish.

Things You'll Need

• Pond
• Male and female koi and/or goldfish
• Pond heater
• String mops
• Hatching pond
• Screens

Instructions

1. Make certain you have male and female fish, preferably two or three females for each male.

2. Increase the temperature of your pond water starting on the 15th day of April. Use a submersible heater to bring the water temperature up to 15 degrees Celsius (59 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit) and maintain that temperature until the 15th day of June.

3. Increase the temperature of your pond to 23 degrees Celsius (74 degrees Fahrenheit) on June 15 and maintain that temperature for the next two weeks. On or about June 21 (the longest day of the year) your koi or other pond fish should be ready to spawn.

4. Lay several string mops across your pond so that the mop strings dangle in the water at one end of the pond. This is where you want your fish to lay their eggs.

5. Watch your fish. Male koi will butt their heads into the sides of female koi in an attempt to force the eggs out of them. Goldfish do not normally exhibit this behavior but watch for the males to follow the females closely as the females swim in patterns among the mop strings.

6. Remove string mops 30 minutes after fish have laid their eggs on the mops. Immediately place the mops into the hatching pond, which has a water temperature of 20 to 23 degrees Celsius (68 to 74 degrees Fahrenheit). Eggs should hatch within two weeks. Do not filter the water in the hatching pond. Algae and other growth provide food for the young fish.After one year fish should be moved to new ponds if necessary so that there are no more than 14 inches of fish per square yard of pond water.

7. Wall off the mop and egg section of your pond with screening if you do not have a second pond for hatching. If adult fish are left in contact with the eggs they will eat the majority of them.

Tips & Warnings

• Water temperature combined with lengthening daylight is what triggers most fish to spawn. That is why it is important to bring the water temperature of your pond to 23 degrees Celsius (74 degrees Fahrenheit) as close to June 21 (the longest day of the year) as possible.

• Your fish should start spawning at age 3.