How to Raise Fish in Ponds in Florida

In Florida, you can keep fancy or common goldfish in your pond to add color.

To raise fish in a backyard pond, you must provide the fish with the proper conditions. Brightly colored fish--such as koi and goldfish-- need hiding places from predators. A backyard pond will bring a lot of wildlife to your yard. Many animals and birds will enjoy drinking, bathing and playing in your pond. Your fish will need to take cover when these animals visit the pond. You will also have to maintain suitable water quality and be careful that your fish do not overpopulate the pond.

Things You'll Need

• Water heater
• Pond thermometer
• Pond filter
• Water quality testing kit for ponds
• Snails
• Aquatic plants

Instructions

1. Choose fish for your backyard pond. In Florida, there are many varieties from which you can choose. Koi and goldfish are colorful and make an interesting addition to your pond. You may also choose native fish like Killifish or mosquitofish ,which will eat mosquito larvae to control insects in your pond.

2. Stock your pond with the proper amount of fish. If your pond has an average sized filter, you can keep one goldfish per every 3 to 4 square feet of surface area. Koi can be kept at one fish per every 10 square feet. If you have small native fish, you can keep more of them in the pond. A stronger filter will allow you to keep more fish.

3. Purchase a water heater for your pond water. In Florida, your heater will not need to run all of the time. The warm weather will keep the water at a good temperature for most species of fish. The heater is only there for the days when the temperatures drop. Set the heater at 75 degrees Fahrenheit; it will only turn on when the water temperature drops below 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

4. Feed your fish twice a day during most of the year. Do not feed the fish if the pond temperature rises above 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a pond thermometer to accurately gauge the temperature of the pond. Fish cannot digest food properly during extreme temperatures. A Floridian pond with a filter should not have a problem with the water being too cold for feeding. Only give your fish as much food as they can eat in five minutes.

5. Check your water quality using a testing kit made for pond water. Most fish need water at a pH level between 6.6 and 8.4. They cannot stand high levels of nitrates and ammonia. If your ammonia or nitrate levels are high, you will need to reduce the number of fish in your pond. You can change the pH of your pond water with kits bought at pond stores.

6. Add snails or other algae eaters to your pond. Fish eat algae, but not enough to maintain a clean and healthy pond. Snails will consume large amounts of algae, and keep the water clean.

7. Add plants and vegetation to your pond. Plants will give your fish places to hide from predators. Without the addition of hiding areas, you will find your young fish go missing instead of growing to adulthood. The hibiscus is a good choice for Florida water gardens. It will attract butterflies and birds to your backyard water garden. Cut the hibiscus back every spring, so it does not outgrow your pond. A bad choice for your water garden is the water hyacinth. This plant is a better choice for colder climates where the plant will die during a cold winter. The warm climate of Florida allows the water hyacinth to grow too large and thick for a small backyard pond.

Tips & Warnings

• Never release pond fish into a natural occurring body of water, such as a lake or stream.

• Do not mix large aggressive fish with small non-aggressive fish in your pond.

References

• University of Florida IFAS Extension: Backyard Habitat ponds
• The Water Garden: Care & Feeding of Pond Fish
• Water Gardens Internatiopnal: Fish for your Pond
• Backyard Conservation: Backyard Pond
• Aqualand Fact Sheets: Caring for Your New Water Hyacinth