How many fish can I have in my pond? | Lebanon County, Lebanon PA

Fish are great pets but believe it or not, your pond could get a little crowded, causing an imbalance in water quality. Think of it this way: the more fish you have, the more you feed your fish, the more waste (poop) is produced and the harder your plants and filtration system has to work in order to get rid of that produced waste.

Generally speaking, the maximum amount of fish you should keep in your pond is calculated by allotting for 1” of fish for every 10 gallons of water.

How to calculate the gallon size of your pond:

The first step in knowing the magic number  for your pond is to know how big your pond is in terms of gallons of water! In order to figure that out, you first must be aware of whether or not your pond is covered with rocks and gravel or if it is a bare liner/preform pond.

The calculation for actual gallons of pond water is as follows:
Ponds with rocks and gravel:                                           Ponds with NO rocks and gravel:
Length x width x Average Depth x 3                                      Length x width x Average Depth x 7.5

If your pond was installed the Aquascape way and/or by the Dreamscapes install crew, the breakdown should look like this:
Size:          Gallons           Max Inches of Fish
  4'x6'            300                            30"
  6'x8'            400                            40"
 8'x10'           500                            50"
11'x11'           700                            70"
11'x16'         1000                          100"
16'x16'         1500                          150"
16'x21'         2000                          200"

So now what?

So you know how big your pond is and you know how many inches of fish you're able to have in your pond- now what? Before heading to Dreamscapes' pond store and buying a dozen of the greatest looking fish you can find, it is imperative to consider how BIG you're looking for your fish to grow (koi never stop growing and have been known to reach 48" in length). If your pond can hold 100" of fish and you buy 10 different koi that are each 10" in length, you've given your fish no room to grow. So how big do you want them to be? The secret in growing your fish is in the way you feed them!

The best part about pond fish is feeding them! 

 The truth about pond fish is that they can eat and eat and eat, way past the point that they're even hungry. If you're looking to grow your fish, there are high protein foods that contribute to high growth and energy. If you're looking to have slow growth, ask yourself what would fish eat if they lived in a natural pond/waterway? Unlike goldfish, koi fish will actually feed on algae growing off of rocks in the pond in the event that they're hungry (not enough to make a noticeable difference in algae reduction but enough to keep them fed). We have successful ponders from both sides of the spectrum: those who feed 2x daily and those who choose not to feed at all!

BUT DID YOU KNOW that fish waste fertilizes more algae growth which requires more maintenance? It's true! If you find you can't keep up with the water balance, consider cutting back on how much or how often you feed your fish! Click here for more information about pond algae.



REMEMBER: the more you feed them, the quicker they increase in size and the more waste they produce-- so give yourself some room to grow or be prepared to up your maintenance obligation.

Koi fish and goldfish will be available at Dreamscapes Watergardens Aquatic Center mid-late April this year! For more questions or to check on availability, contact Dreamscapes today!

Dreamscapes Watergardens | 2155 State Route 343, Lebanon PA | 717-272-6555

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