Best Fish to Put in Your Pond

You can’t just put any old fish in your garden pond!

There are actually several things you need to consider if you want to protect the health of your fish and create a beautiful aquatic oasis. Fortunately, there are plenty of pond fish that you can choose from no matter the size of your pond and where you are in Australia, from silver perch to other native fish species.

I’ll cover nine of the best fish in this guide. But first, you need to know a little about selecting the right species.

Tips for Selecting the Right Fish Species

The type of fish you buy depends on a lot of factors. For example, fish for farm ponds differ from those you put in your backyard. Meanwhile, the climate where you are also limits the type of aquatic life you can put in your pond.

Here are four factors to think about.

1. Consider Climate and Location

The first step is to think about the climate where you are. Water temperatures can restrict the specific species that you buy, and so can the water quality.

For example, if you live in a hot and sunny climate with a pond, you should choose fish that prefer warmer water temperatures and thrive on eating weeds and algae. That way, they’ll liver happily in your pond.

Meanwhile, if you live in an area with high pollution levels, opt for a hardy fish species that can tolerate these conditions. Or in cold water, choose rainbow trout, who love cooler temperatures and ample oxygen levels.

Think about the water itself, too. It seems obvious, but don’t pick freshwater fish for a salt water pond. It’s been done before!

2. Choose Fish Native to Australia

For outdoor ponds, it’s crucial to select native fish that are from your area. This guarantees that they are well-suited to the water conditions and the climate, as noted above. However, it also protects the ecosystem.

You don’t want to accidentally introduce predatory fish to your fragile local ecosystem. Even if your farm dam or garden pond is closed off, some fish can escape and cause harm to local wildlife and habitats.

All of the species in this guide are from native, Australian habitat areas.

3. Determine the Size and Depth of Your Pond

Even fish themselves don’t want to be a big fish in a small pond. When fish get too big, ther quality of life will be poor, and they can die or affect other fish in your pond. So, before you buy any fish for your pond, determine the volume of your pond and find species that fit.

As a general rule, larger ponds are better for aquatic life to thrive because there’s more space. However, you can get smaller fish if you have less room. Keep in mind, though, that you generally need at least 1.5m depth for most fish.

Be careful of slow growers, like sleepy cod, too. Just because young fish are small when you buy them doesn’t mean they’ll stay that size forever.

4. Consider Compatibility Between Species

When adding fish to your pond, it’s essential to consider the compatibility between common species. In ponds, you should aim to create a cohesive ecosystem of fish that “get along”, so to speak.

Research the different species you’re interested in to make sure they can coexist peacefully. After all, you don’t want to accidentally introduce a predatory species that will kill your other fish!

If you have a pond where you’re attempting to create a fully cohesive and self-sufficient ecosystem, it might be okay to introduce species from all parts of the food chain. But be careful, as you need a pretty big pond for that to work.

Best Fish for Australian Ponds

With all that in mind, you can start to look at native species that will thrive in your pond. Here are our top nine recommendations.

Koi

Koi are one of the most popular fish for outdoor ponds in Australia. They’re a surprisingly hardy fish that can survive in a lot of water conditions, though they prefer warmer water with a few hiding places.

They’re popular for their striking colours and markings, and the fact that they add a peaceful ambiance to any garden. Although, they’re actually descendants of the common carp!

By the way, this is a larger fish species that can grow up to 2 feet in length. Once they grow over 24 inches, they are called jumbo koi. So, make sure your pond is big enough to accommodate them, preferably with 1000-3500+ gallons of water. Some backyard koi ponds are 13,500 gallons or more. 

It’s worth noting that Koi are very messy fish. They can produce a lot of waste. In fact, they can excrete up to one third of their body weight in a single day. You must make sure you have exceptionally good filtration to keep your water clean with these fish.

Goldfish

There are several types of goldfish in Australia, many of which are smaller and fit into more restricted spaces. Comets, sarasas, and shubunkins are all types that thrive in outdoor pools, not least because of their long-bodied, small size. However, some of these breeds are overbred.

Although goldfish are typically cute and small, some of these native species can grow surprisingly large when given the space to do so in a pond, so be prepared. They can even live up to 10 years (or longer) when given the proper care in the right environment.

Often, pond owners stock their water bodiess with a variety of goldfish, with their interbreeding resulting in lots of exciting colours and patterns.

The same warning we gave for koi applies to goldfish when it comes to messiness. Goldfish excrete a lot of waste so if you are considering them, you will need a very good filtration system to ensure your water doesn’t become over-polluted.

Minnow Fish

Minnows make great fish for ponds, depending on the specific species. Those native fish to Australia are hardy and adaptable, thriving in a wide range of water conditions. As a result, they’re a great option for fish stocking outdoor areas.

The best species include fathead minnows, golden shiners, and white cloud mountain minnows. These species can control algae and mosquito larvae, protecting your pond. And for ponds, they provide a natural food supply for larger fish.

With all that said, each species has unique requirements, including for pH, temperature, and more. So, check all of this during your research. Furthermore, some minnows are dangerous to the local habitat, so make sure that they are legal to own where you live.

Silver Perch

Whether for farm dams or garden ponds, silver perch are the perfect option. Their natural habitat is a river system flowing from Queensland to Victoria and South Australia. As a result, they thrive in a large variety of climates.

These omnivorous fish eat both plants and animals, which means they’ll munch on shrimp, snails, mosquito larvae, and more. If you introduce fingerlings, though, the older fish are unlikely to eat them. After all, they’re not really predators, just foragers.

However, if you want them to grow to their maximum size of 500mm and 8kg, you’ll need to feed them fish food pellets.

Silver perch are also bred for aquaculture, and they’re common in the restaurant trade. While this is great fun if you’re a meat eater, you need to be careful. Their diet and environment influences their taste, so you’ll get a bad muddy flavour if your fish live in unclean water. Ideally, purge the fish in tanks for a few days before eating.

As we already mentioned, these fish are great for ponds. They can go in any outdoor pond, and indeed, feeding them in the late evening before sunset provides a great display that makes a thrilling talking point for any barbecue.

But they’re really better for your pond. They can be stocked at 300-400 per hectare if not fed, and 1000 per hectare if you’re feeding them. For ponds, you can stock silver perch without a permit. However, you can also stock silver perch without a permit in river basins such as:

• Fitzroy
• Nogoa
• Dawson
• Boyne
• Kolan
• Burnett
• Nogo
• Several others

Golden Perch

Golden perch are another fantastic choice. These fish, native to the Murray Darling Basin, are also called Yellowbelly, Callop, and Murray Perch. They’re perfect for slightly small dams of 500 metres squared–you can stock 100 fish per surface acre. But if your dam is smaller, go with silver perch instead.

You can stock Golden perch as fingerlings in early summer, and as long as there’s a natural food supply, they’ll grow quickly. They’ll need insects, shrimp, and small fish to feast on, as they don’t take fish food pellets well. They’re actually considered apex predators, so they’re at the top of the food chain!

When it comes to farm dams, fish like golden perch are ideal because they prefer still, sluggish waters with a temperature of 4-35˚. They can even tolerate moderate salinity.

They can live for over twenty years. However, you need to be careful about restocking. In nature, their eggs are semi-bouyant and float downstream; in a farm dam, they sink and don’t spawn. So, you’ll need to keep adding fish.

Murray Cod

The Murray Cod is Australia’s largest freshwater fish, so this is only an option if you have a very large farm dam. You’ll also need an ample natural food supply, including shrimp, crayfish, and other smaller fish. Please note that they may also eat fingerlings when you add them in future years.

Murray cod generally appreciate lower temperatures. So, if you live south of Bundaberg, this is a good option for your farm dam.

Catfish

These bottom-dwelling fish come in a range of sizes and varieties, but none of them are predatory, which means they can cohabitate safely with other fish in your pond. What’s more, they even control algae and are used in aquaponics.

Freshwater catfish are a popular option. Their native habitat is slow-moving rivers and lakes. Since they don’t move around much, they’re perfect for any pond. They’ll even breed there, so there’s no need to restock them.

Catfish become sexually nature at around 3-5 years old, creating nests from pebbles and gravel in the summer. The male will stay here to clean, fan, and protect the eggs before they hatch seven days later.

Of course, catfish are also good to eat, with white, delicate flesh. So, for ponds, fish like catfish make a great choice.

Australian Bass

When it comes to stocking ponds, fish like the Australian bass are perfect. They thrive in large dams, but aren’t so well-suited to backyard ponds. Indeed, they’re great for fishing as a prized catch.

Their natural habitat spans from South Eastern Queensland down to Southern Victoria, so they enjoy this particular climate. In the wild, they feast on insects, larvae, shrimp, and yabbies. So, make sure your pond is stocked with other fish they can eat.

They’re heavy feeders, too, which means they eat a lot. However, they’re slow growers; but they can reach 40cm and 1-2kg if they have enough to eat.

By the way, Australian bass won’t breed in your pond as they normally migrate to salt water to do so. You’ll need to restock them every few years.

Barramundi

Barramundi are popular in farm dams, but you need a large area: they can grow to over 40kg! They are a popular sport fish in Australia, but you can technically farm them. Think carefully before you do, though, because they have a voracious appetite for live food and aquatic vegetation.

Plus, when you add new fingerlings to the dam, older barramundi may eat them. By the way, when adding new fingerlings, it’s crucial to stock the right genetic strain, as it goes against local authorities to stock the incorrect strain.

Final Thoughts

There are endless varieties of fish to stock in your pond–you just need to consider the water quality, size of your dam, and other factors. As long as you take proper care of your fish, you can create a thriving pond filled with life.