Hi folks. Just been cleaning out my pond for the first time as I discovered 4 black fish, very similar in appearance to the goldfish. Any idea what these see likely to be?
No picture I'm afraid, it's impossible!
Black Pond Fish.
-
- Previous TOTM Winner
- Posts: 2154
- Joined: Mon Sep 14, 2020 16:19 pm
- Location: Truro, UK
- Has liked: 696 times
- Been liked: 1686 times
Instagram - @the.cornish.fishkeeper
- black ghost
- Posting Legend
- Posts: 3534
- Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2018 23:57 pm
- Has liked: 309 times
- Been liked: 1391 times
Could be koi, or tench… how black is black? And what size?
-
- Previous TOTM Winner
- Posts: 2154
- Joined: Mon Sep 14, 2020 16:19 pm
- Location: Truro, UK
- Has liked: 696 times
- Been liked: 1686 times
They could be tench, I hope not. Pond isn't big enough from a quick look. I'll try to net one.
They're similar in shape to the goldfish, I was trying to work out if they have a mild orange to their sides. I think I remember my parents going black when I was a kid due to ammonia. Is that a thing?
They're similar in shape to the goldfish, I was trying to work out if they have a mild orange to their sides. I think I remember my parents going black when I was a kid due to ammonia. Is that a thing?
Instagram - @the.cornish.fishkeeper
- black ghost
- Posting Legend
- Posts: 3534
- Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2018 23:57 pm
- Has liked: 309 times
- Been liked: 1391 times
Goldfish are born greeny brown, and a few stay that colour. They can get very dark against a dark bottom. Ammonia is always likely in spring in a small pond with fish and no mature filter.
-
- Previous TOTM Winner
- Posts: 2154
- Joined: Mon Sep 14, 2020 16:19 pm
- Location: Truro, UK
- Has liked: 696 times
- Been liked: 1686 times
Ok, thank you. I want to give it a deep clean in the next week or so, so I should be able to get a better look.
There is also a ghost Koi on there, need to find it a new home. Pond is way too small. I hope it's not 4 tench aswell.
There is also a ghost Koi on there, need to find it a new home. Pond is way too small. I hope it's not 4 tench aswell.
Instagram - @the.cornish.fishkeeper
- Martinspuddle
- Forum Jester & TOTM Winner
- Posts: 7134
- Joined: Tue Dec 31, 2019 18:07 pm
- Location: Sceapig
- Has liked: 4265 times
- Been liked: 3921 times
Known in the trade as 'Bronze Goldfish' they have a beautiful bronze shine about when viewed in a aquarium, although there has always been some contention of whether or not these are actually the original wild colour.
I had a few in my old pond.
WARNING - DO NOT BREED, FEED OR PET THE PUDDLE!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- Previous TOTM Winner
- Posts: 2154
- Joined: Mon Sep 14, 2020 16:19 pm
- Location: Truro, UK
- Has liked: 696 times
- Been liked: 1686 times
That's the buggers! Thanks.
The Ghost Koi is going to live in my Uncles Pond tomorrow, so that is a problem easily solved. I still think there is too many fish for the size, but I'll get him to have a good look and take a few lessons from him tomorrow.
I like having a pond and the fact it's come free with the house is great, but I'd have loved to started it from scratch myself. Feels like a big responsibility without entirely knowing how to look after them properly. You learn a lot starting from scratch.
Thanks for your help guys
The Ghost Koi is going to live in my Uncles Pond tomorrow, so that is a problem easily solved. I still think there is too many fish for the size, but I'll get him to have a good look and take a few lessons from him tomorrow.
I like having a pond and the fact it's come free with the house is great, but I'd have loved to started it from scratch myself. Feels like a big responsibility without entirely knowing how to look after them properly. You learn a lot starting from scratch.
Thanks for your help guys
Instagram - @the.cornish.fishkeeper
-
- TOTM Winner
- Posts: 897
- Joined: Thu Aug 08, 2019 10:17 am
- Has liked: 442 times
- Been liked: 852 times
- Contact:
Yea as above, all baby goldfish are born brown/ black/ dark. Helps them camouflage and evade predators. At 6 months to 3 years their colours can develop and change as they grow. I've got all colourful adult goldfish (and some koi) but 90% plus of the babies still look dark. I've only got 2 that have started becoming colouful. A white and yellow one and a black one with an orange head. Sure they will change fully as they mature (currently 1.5-2" long). I've got 2 babies that survived from previous years and are now probably 2 years old and are like the picture. Broze/ dark brown on top with a white belly. They're now 4-5".BigBen wrote: ↑Sun Mar 20, 2022 20:57 pm That's the buggers! Thanks.
The Ghost Koi is going to live in my Uncles Pond tomorrow, so that is a problem easily solved. I still think there is too many fish for the size, but I'll get him to have a good look and take a few lessons from him tomorrow.
I like having a pond and the fact it's come free with the house is great, but I'd have loved to started it from scratch myself. Feels like a big responsibility without entirely knowing how to look after them properly. You learn a lot starting from scratch.
Thanks for your help guys
Not sure why they haven't become more colourful. Food, sunlight, water conditions and genetics all play their part I believe.
Just enjoy watching them grow.