Invert/oxygenators stocking for pond..

bubbles1

Okay so I have a 250 gallon pond in my ackyard with 4 comets and 2 shubunkin, and many assorted live bearers, and I was planning on getting some additions to my pond, additions including submerged plants to oxygenate and somewhat keep the water clean, but I was wondering if there's any that will grow back every year... And for my inverterbrates (also perannual) I was thinking some Nerite snails perhaps? Or Something else to keep algae down.. Any suggestions?

fish monger

I haven't had any luck with the so called hardy oxygenaters in my pond. They all turn to slime over the winter. Hardy water lilies, on the other hand, seem impossible to kill. My pond sprung a leak last fall and the lilies were exposed to ice and snow. This spring, with about an inch of water in the pond, they started taking off. They shade the water and their roots eat up nutrients that would otherwise tend to foul the water for fish. You could throw in some hornwort and anacharis for the season. Have you thought about cold water mussels ? They're filter feeders and might be interesting. I'm thinking about trying them this year. There is a lake stocking company close to my house where they sell all types of regional aquatic plants and creatures....turtles, bullfrog tadpoles, mussels, and all kinds of fish. You can buy them individually or by the tanker truck load. It's really a cool place. If you have a place like that in your area, you might pay them a visit.

bubbles1

Oh my I wish I had such a store near me! I have a petsmart and a big ALS in my area and that's about it :/ my options are pretty limited pond wise :p Im thinking of trying some anarchis maybe about 2-3 bunches, I might consider taking them in, or try to hibernate them if possible... And I'd honestly would try mussels if I could get my hands on them! Or maybe not because of my lovely raccoons :/ and can't even get nice anything without it being eatin, every year they just eat my koi, so that's why I decided to get smaller faster comets and shubunkin goldfish, and also redesign my pond so it's deeper :p, so far I have some dwarf cattails,lilypads,Some arrowheads, and I'm to sure what it's called, but I think it's papyrus,... But ya I'm gonna try to get anarchis for cleaning my water ect, and I'm wondering about Nerite snails.. Any advice?

redchigh

where do you live? A lot depends on how cold your winters get.

bubbles1

Near Hamilton, Southern Ontario

Crocer

LOL, I am not too far from you

fish monger

What's the latest on your pond ? I just got mine up and running last weekend.