Fish Questions from Newbie

[pegs pond]

Hi all, pond is nearing completion and I'm thinking fishies now but have NO idea, other than reading on here about pond fish.  A friend of mine in England has some really pretty fish that are black when they are born and then get orange/red spots on them as they get older, are they koi?  (they inherited them with house and are not sure).  She has water lilies and they don't eat them.  I am sooooo confused and undecided whether to go with a couple of koi or some goldfish (wakin if I can find them), or both.  I love what I have seen and read about koi but not about them eating the plants and pooping a lot. Also my pond it not quite big enough for koi from what I have read....it's about 12X16 but only a little over 2 ft deep. (not finished, and NO I can't make it deeper already purchased liner and can't afford another one right now.  Also if I ask hubby to dig deeper I think I might have to go to divorce court!   Anyway can you please give me your thoughts and experience and help me decide?

Thanks Peg

[CT]

Peg,
     If you can't find Wakins, then check out other goldfish. The spotted ones sound like Shubunkins. They are nice fish for a pond. Just get a couple because they will breed like bunnies and you will be finding homes for fish. Watonia are pretty with long tails and bright color. Comets are cheap and some can be really pretty. Sarassa's are red and white with nice form. Lots of goldies to choose from. You're right, Koi need a different pond type even though many have koi in watergardens and they do ok. Watergardens lend themselves better to goldies. I bet you could find free fish on lots of the forums. I know if you were closer I could give you baby wakins and comets. I'm sure I'm not the only one with babies to rehome.
Kay

[tranquility]

Yep I'd do goldies...there are alot of pretty types out there to be found....Shubunkins are one of my favorites...the brown ones which turn to red and white that you are talking about are probably sarrassa again a very pretty goldie.....I LOVE my watonai but, they don't swim nearly fast enough to get away from snakes so keep that in mind if you live near any bodies of water....Thats why I have to keep them in an above ground pond...
Lawanna

[lorraine1960]

i agree..goldies..when i started i just purchased lots of feeder goldfish that are usually like 20 for 1.00 and they are small but if u look at my pics u will see what they look like now....i do have koi but they must be slower cause snakes get tem first...but my goldies are spectacular.... but purchase alot cause you will always lose some from stress or whatever.. i purchase about 20 and end up with 10... and welcome to the ponding obsession...it will take hold of you when you get established with your fish and plants and yes you will be asking hubby for more honey do's    ..lorraine

[pegs pond]

Thanks all, goldies it is!  And thanks so much for the names, now I know what to look for....so a trip to the fish store is in order.......ohhh so many choices and just a few fish!  LOL a pair? now what if I get two of the same sex?  Hmmmm wonder what my cousin will think of me asking her to "babyset" a few goldies in her aquarium until the water is okay for them?  Obsessed?  no need to wait for that it's already here!  I have done NOTHING but think of pond, surf hours online reading, work on pond, pick brains on the forums, order STUFF, spend money and dream of finished project since I've started this!  I am HOOKED!
Peg

[tranquility]

peg use declor in the water and its ready to go...no waiting...your pond will NOT cycle without having fish in it....goldies are usually tuff enough to go thru the cycling just fine....make sure to buy from a reputable breeder or dealer and you probably won't have any losses....If you buy bait shop goldies or feeder goldies you will probably loose some or all due to illness-these fish are not meant to be kept alive so they don't really care what they are carrying  ....
Lawanna

[pegs pond]

Meet the new family!  NO wakins to be found.  These were the only 3 shunbkins at the only pet store I would buy from! (checked out 4 and  , not clean and/or dead fish in some tanks!)  They had some pretty comets there too, but I liked these little guys.  And gosh they are either friendly or very hungry!  They are temporarily in a 2.5 gal aquarium, with $10 on sale pump with a waterfall thingy on it (it's making bubbles  in the water), so hope I don't need the oxygenator bubbler thing as I thought I had one and went to use it and it sounds horrid, not to mention I lost the adapter to make the tubing fit! DUH!  There is no top on the aquarium, can I put a board or something over the top as long as I leave a place for air?  We have a cat...They shouldn't have to be in there long as next no rain day and the liner goes in (the NEW ONE! grrr) and then a couple of days to fill...and Lawanna will take your advice and put them right in, we have well water so NO chemicals in it...and it's fantastic water, clear and tastes as good as bottled, only it's very cold out of the tap.  Ohhhh how much do you feed? I got flakes for them right now.  There are 3 of them, lady couldn't tell me if they were male or female...so will just have so wait and see if I have opposite sexes!  Here's a photo of them.........and I have a whole new respect for those of you who post photos of your fish!  this is the best one out of 35 photos!  There are only 3 but you can see reflections on the bottom.   
Peg

[tranquility]

You will really like the shubbies....you picked out some pretty babies...just keep checking back with the one pet store and I'm sure your little herd will grow....but, those three are a great start....Wakins and Watonia are hard to find---alot of the time you have to have them shipped....Tracey has some gorgeous wakins and she just started shipping.....
Lawanna