How to Keep Outdoor Fish Happy and Healthy

Summer is right around the corner, and it’s time to begin thinking about those

beautiful, lazy summer evenings where you can relax in your backyard. This year,

it’s time to build that outdoor pond or re-fill your existing one with beautiful fish.

But don’t act too quickly -- like any other living thing, fish need your care to ensure

they’re safe, healthy, and actually able to beautify your pond. There’s a lot of work

involved, but once you’re done your pond will look miraculous.

pond image from Fotolia 

Supplies You’ll Need

Be sure to purchase koi pond filters, which are extremely important to support the

health of your fish. The filters keep water moving, so it doesn’t become stagnant and

the filter cleans out toxins from the water, which are harmful to your fish. The more

fish you have, the more important it is to have a filter to keep your fish clean and

healthy.

Filters also help with keeping the water looking clean, which will keep your pond

beautiful and display-worthy in your backyard. They are relatively inexpensive but

will add longevity to the water and the fish in your pond. Because they keep the

water moving, they add a nice appearance to the pond as well, instead of stagnant

water just sitting there, the movement is quite nice to watch on a summer evening.

Protecting Your Fish

As you might imagine, it’s difficult to ensure that your fish stay safe from outdoor

predators, such as neighborhood cats. At times you are not home or at night,

consider purchasing a heavy-duty netting to lie over the pond, so if a wayward

neighborhood cat gets into your yard, your fish will be protected. In the colder

months, you’ll want to transport them to a safe area, such as a bathtub or a kiddie

pool in a warmer room. Be sure to transport some of their habitat water with them

-- transporting them into clean, fresh water is harmful to their health, because the

change in what they’re used to can be too drastic and make them sick.

Feeding Your Fish

Be sure to purchase food that’s appropriate for the kind of fish you have, and while

kids and adults alike may want to drop a lot of bread and other food into the pond

to watch the fish eat, discourage excessive feeding like this. Keep your fish on a

healthy diet to improve their lifespan. Discouraging other types of feeding will also

help keep the water cleaner.

Paige One enjoys writing about interior design topics, including outdoor decoration

ideas!

Disclaimer: the above is a featured guest post.