Livebearing fish that can go in my pond UK

[Tophatshark]

I have some koi and goldfish in my pond but to complete the look I want to have a bunch of tiny livebearers that will populate quick and look nice
Something like guppies or mollies. I do have a heater duting winter for my musk turtle but that's about it. Also I was wondering if about large floating plants, anything that will survive winter

 

[Mmathis]

@Tophatshark Please refresh my memory, and tell us about your pond and local climate!

 

[Tophatshark]

UK Birmingham The pond is 1000litres 2 canister filters, bunch of plants, koi goldfish, above pond tank, summer temps outside got to 37 this year and winter temps rarely drop below -5 haven't seen snow in about 5 years and have a heater in the winter. Current pond temp is about 15degrees and winter is about 10

 

[Lisak1]

I'm no fish expert, but I don't think mollies or guppies will work in your winter temps. Minnows maybe?

 

[Mmathis]

Unless I’m wrong, 1000L is equivalent to just under 300 gallons. Did you mean to add another zero in there? If your pond is that small, I really don’t think you need to be adding ANY other fish, not even small ones. I’m surprised that you have both koi and goldfish in your pond. Adding any more fish is going to severely impact your water quality.

 

[Tophatshark]

1000g

 

[gimpy]

They are not live bearers, but you might check out Rosy Red minnows.

 

[Lisak1]

@Tophatshark - @Mmathis caught an important detail that I missed there. Your pond is too small for koi. I would stick to goldfish, comets, shubunkins, etc. Rosy reds if you want a small schooling fish. You have the perfect size for a goldfish pond.

 

[Tophatshark]

It's been they're for 4 years and I think you're overestimating the size of my koi they're only about a foot each I've only got 4 and maybe like 5 goldfish trust me the ponds quite empty only reason I don't get more big fish is because I have a expensive tancho and I want it to be the pond centrepiece I just want a school of small fish , I have all the filtered water flow into gravel basin with lots of plants then flow back into the pond

 

[Mmathis]

Even 1000 gallons is too small for 4 koi, but is an OK size for one koi. Since you want a centerpiece, and you have an expensive koi, why not re-home the other koi, and just keep that one and a few goldfish.

 

[JamieB]

I don’t know any livebearers that can take those temps. I’ve got guppies, they can come in wide variety of colors, but are tropical.

 

[Lisak1]

It's been they're for 4 years and I think you're overestimating the size of my koi they're only about a foot each

Ah... if only we had a dollar for every time we've heard "my fish have been FINE for XX number of years... why are they all dying now?" Not to cast doom and gloom on your situation, but your pond will reach a tipping point if you continue to add fish. I don't have to "trust you" about how empty your pond is. Water volume is water volume. If you were in a room with enough oxygen for 4 adults, but plenty of "space", would you want more adults to join you to fill the empty space? And adding just one small human might be OK, but as that human grows eventually something would have to give.

Check out this chart to see the difference between one foot long koi and 4 three inch long goldfish. The biomass of even a "small" koi increases dramatically as they grow.

Koi Length and Weight - Ammonia Produced, and Waste Produced

This chart also lists koi weight by weight and how much ammonia and waste they produce. Koi get heavier as they grow and produce more ammonia and waste.

russellwatergardens.com

 

[Stephen Noble]

I am just going to answer your question. Given the temperature range of your pond, you might want to explore two native fishes to the UK. Bitterling (Rhodeus amarus) and Minnow (Phoxinus phoxinus) are possible candidates if you are able to legally obtain and keep them. Check with your local wildlife department to see. Unfortunately, both of them are egg laying, shoaling fish rather than your desired live-bearing schooling fish but will probably meet your needs. The Bitterling has a striking blue line that reflects sunlight. Really pretty fish and because of its unique breeding habits it might not reproduce thus avoiding overpopulation.