Purchasing fish for your pond

Fish will be ok if electricity goes off

What to look for when adding koi or goldfish to the pond

When you are thinking about adding some fish to your pond, make sure you know what to look for when checking out people or companies that are selling fish. 

      1. Quality of the fish: fish should be healthy.  Look for koi that are free from any signs of disease, parasites or deformities.
      2. Variety of koi: A good retailer should have a wide selection of koi to choose from, with various colors, patterns, and sizes.
      3. Knowledgeable staff: The staff should be knowledgeable about koi and able to answer any questions you may have. They should also be able to offer advice on koi care and maintenance.
      4. Good reputation: Look for a retailer with a good reputation.  Check online reviews or ask other koi enthusiasts for recommendations.
      5. Packaging:  How do they package the koi for you to get them home?  Many will add oxygen to the bag so that the fish have plenty of oxygen on the way home. 
      6. Shipping dates:  If you are ordering koi, will they extend the date so that the fish arrive when the weather is right?
      7. Guarantee/warranty: The retailer should offer a guarantee or warranty on their koi, in case of any issues or problems after purchase.

You don't have to be an expert

Remember that although most places will have all the accurate names of koi, you do not need to be an expert.  Just pick out fish you think are beautiful! 

Make sure that if you are picking up koi in person, that you plan to go straight home to get the fish into their new pond.  This is not the time to stop at Ikea! 

Koi from Next Day Koi
10% OFF!

Next Day Koi has koi and goldfish that you can see pictures of right on the website. They deliver them right to your door! Sweetwater Ponds has a partnership with Next Day Koi. Click the fish to go to their site and use our Coupon code: sunshineponds at check out for 10% off!

Specifics on transferring fish to the pond

If fish are in bags:

  • Float bags on the edge of the pond.  This will help the water temperature from the bag and the water temperature from the pond become either the same or very close. 
  • Keeps bags in the shade if possible
  • If it is hot and sunny you may need to leave the bag open, Watch it carefully so it doesn’t tip over prematurely. 
  • Splash some pond water in every 5 to 10 minutes.  This will help the pH of the pond and the bag water to stabilize. 
  • After 30 minutes, gently allow the fish to swim out of the bag.  

It is very normal for a new fish to swim behind a pond or to the bottom of the pond.  They aren’t sure where they are and are very cautious.  It can even take up to a week for them to start acting like the other fish in the pond. Give it time, and they will be just one of the guys soon! 

Thttps://sweetwaterponds.com/2022/05/20/transfer-fish-from-another-pond/hinking of adopting koi from someone else’s pond?  Read more about that in the article:  Transfer fish from another pond.

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