If you’re wondering how long goldfish live in a pond, then you’ve come to the right place! This article is going to explain how long different goldfish can survive in a pond, as well as tips to help them live longer, as well as how to help them survive the winter as well!
So keep reading to find out everything you need to know!
How Long Do Goldfish Live In A Pond?
Goldfish that live in a pond generally live between 10-15 years; however, in some cases, they may even live up to 20 years. In fact, if you’re taking care of your goldfish in a pond, then it’s often the case that they’ll live longer than goldfish that are kept in tanks. (because the tanks they’re normally kept rarely meet your goldfish’s needs.)
However, the lifespan of each goldfish really depends on the type of goldfish you get.
Common Goldfish
If you take good care of common goldfish, then they can have quite a long life span. 15-25 years is the typical amount of time you can expect them to live for.
Fancy Goldfish
Fancy goldfish tend to have a much shorter lifespan in some cases, than when compared to their common counterparts. The more specially bred the goldfish breed is, generally, the shorter their life span is.
For example, Bubbly Eye Goldfish and Ranchu Goldfish typically only live for around 5 years.
Fringetail Goldfish, Fantail Goldfish, and Telescope Goldfish all typically live between 10-14 years, depending on the care they’re provided.
Comet Goldfish, Oranda Goldfish, and Shubunkin Goldfish can all live up to 15 years in the wild; however, once again, this really depends on the care they’ve been given.
Remember, though, for all goldfish; this is just a general rule of thumb. Some of your goldfish may live longer, and some may live a little bit less. But as long as you’re giving them the best care possible, they’re going to live long and happy lives.
(You can also keep goldfish in tanks as well. However, make sure you find out whether you should give them a filter, heater, and air pump.)
How Do You Improve A Goldfish’s Lifespan?
Fortunately, there are lots of things you can do to improve your goldfish’s lifespan. So if you follow the advice below, you’re going to keep your goldfish happy and healthy.
Good Water Quality Is Key
One of the most important factors that ensure that your goldfish is going to have a nice long lifespan is the quality of the water. Poor water quality for fish is the equivalent of living in a polluted and toxic environment to us.
The main factor you should be watching is the pond’s ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels. All of which should be as close to 0ppm as possible. This will naturally be taken care of in ponds thanks to beneficial bacteria that grow and consume it.
However, there are times when the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels can build up too much. For example, if you’re using fertilizers or pesticides near the pond, if the pond is overstocked, and if there are a lot of things (such as food and waste) rotting in the tank.
That’s why it’s important to make sure you’re cleaning your pond and removing any decaying waste sources as soon as you can. And, of course, you should also have a high-quality filter system in place to help remove most of this as well.
Feed Them High-Quality Food
And, of course, you’re going to want to make sure that you’re feeding your goldfish high-quality food. This is almost as important as making sure the water quality is good. And fortunately, it’s a lot easier.
There are plenty of high-quality goldfish foods on the market, and it’s not hard to find one that will keep your goldfish healthy and strong.
Goldfish are omnivores, which means they need a mix of meat and plants in their diet. And you should consider this when choosing the right food for them.
Also, make sure you’re not always feeding them processed food, but you’re also adding live food to the pond regularly as well. Blanched vegetables are also a good idea to make sure you’re balancing your goldfish’s diet and giving them a nice treat too!
Make Sure The Pond Is Oxygenated Enough
It’s also essential that the pond is oxygenated; otherwise, your goldfish may suffocate and die. The easiest way to make sure you’re pond is oxygenated is by providing aeration equipment such as air bubblers and air stones. But there are other methods as well.
Plants are also going to provide oxygenation whilst also removing carbon dioxide from the tank. A filter is also going to keep the surface of the pond moving, which is also going to increase the beneficial gas exchange between oxygen and carbon dioxide.
And lastly, make sure that your pond isn’t overstocked. If you have an overstocked pond, then there’s going to be less oxygen in the water.
Keep The Parameters Stable
The pH and temperature of the pond should be kept as stable as possible to help keep your goldfish happy and alive. The temperature of your pond should be between 55°F and 80°F. If you live in a hot country, then normally, the sun can keep the temperature of the pond good; however, it is also possible to get a water heater.
As well as this, you should also make sure that the pH stays between 7-8. If it’s too high, you can add Indian almond leaves to lower it, and if it’s too low, you can add a small amount of baking soda.
Don’t Overcrowd Your Pond
It’s also super important that you don’t overcrowd your pond for a number of reasons. The first reason is that, obviously, the more crowded the pond is, the worse the water parameters are going to be.
Second of all, if you’re overcrowding your tank, then each individual goldfish isn’t going to have enough space, which will make them feel stressed. They may also not have as much oxygen as they need or get as much food either.
And lastly, if you’re overcrowding your pond then the chances of goldfish acting aggressively towards each other is going to increase.
Make Sure Predators Can’t Get To Them
Nothing is going to shorten your goldfish’s lifespan quicker than a predator snatching them out of your pond. Birds are going to be the main concern, but they’re definitely not the only ones.
Any animal that is big enough to take your goldfish out of your pond will probably try too.
Some great ways to prevent predators from attacking your goldfish are by putting netting over the pond to stop the predators from getting in. If you don’t want to do this, you could also try adding fish shelters to the pond to give your goldfish plenty of places to hide.
Another great alternative is to add motion sensor sprinkler systems around your pond. This way, when any predator gets close, they’ll get sprayed.
If you want to look after goldfish fry in your pond, then you’ll need to start using tight mesh netting to stop any small beetles getting in that will try to eat the fry.
Make Sure The Pond Is Big Enough
You also want to make sure that the pond is big enough for your goldfish as well. Each goldfish is going to need about 20 gallons of water. This includes small goldfish, who will eventually grow to need this space.
Only Add The Right Pond Mates
And lastly, you want to make sure that you’re only adding the right pond mates to the pond. Ideally, you should only add other goldfish; however, other non-aggressive fish will also work.
Some people like to add turtles and terrapins to their pond; however, this definitely isn’t recommended. If the fish are too small, or if you’ve got a particularly aggressive or hungry turtle, they may try and take a bite.
And, of course, make sure you’re only putting similarly sized goldfish together. It’s not uncommon for a bigger goldfish to eat a smaller one.
If you don’t seem to have much luck with goldfish, find out why they may be dying.)
How To Keep Goldfish Alive During The Winter
Knowing how to keep your goldfish alive during the winter months is essential if you wish to keep them alive for a long time. Fortunately, thanks to hibernation, as long as oxygen can into the pond and they’ve got enough fat stores, they can survive the winter. Here are some of the best things you can do to make sure your goldfish survive.
Make Sure You’re Removing Ice
One of the things you’ll need to do is remove the ice from the surface of the pond. You don’t need to remove it all, just enough to allow oxygen to continue entering the pond and carbon dioxide to continue leaving the pond.
You may be worrying that your fish will freeze, but this isn’t the case. The water of your pond is warmer at the bottom, and goldfish are able to survive near the bottom.
If you’re going to remove ice, you can try breaking it up a little bit, removing some chunks, or using something hot to melt it.
As well as this, you can also purchase a floating deicer. Deicers heat up the area around it, stopping ice from being able to form. If you’re going to use a deicer, they’re often best placed around plants to help stop ice from affecting the plants.
If you’re wondering how much of a hole you should create, about 12″ in diameter is normally sufficient.
Change Their Diet
When the water drops below 60°F, you should swap their food to a wheat germ variety which is easier to digest and will still provide them with the nutrition they need. Once it gets below 50°F, then you may not need to feed them at all.
Before winter approaches, you should also change their diet to something much higher in protein. This will help them build up fat stores, which they’ll use to survive through the winter.
Be Careful What Filter You Use
Some filters aren’t going to work at all in the winter; however, the ones that do are going to need to be the right kind. Some filters pull water from the surface down to the bottom. In other words, they’ll pull the cold water down to where your goldfish are staying warm, which could be fatal.
Instead, you’re going to want to use a filter that pulls warm water up to the surface, which is far less risky—failing that, you can also turn the filter off during the winter months.
Recap
Now you know how long goldfish live in a pond and, more importantly, how you can help them get the maximum amount of life and happiness in your pond!
If you liked this article, then make sure you check out the rest of the website. Otherwise, have a great day!