article: It is Eggs or Parasites?

It is Eggs or Parasites?

If you already have a few fish in your pond and you want to multiply the number of fish that you have without have to purchase more fish, you can allow your fish to breed, which is also known, as spawning. Spawning is the reproduction of fish, and with each fish, there are different reproduction needs or requirements for this to take place. For most all fish, spring is a natural time when fish will reproduce, as this is a time when new beginnings take place as the fish awake from their cold winter hibernations.

Spring is also time when your water garden is looking a little soupy, green from the winter months but keep in mind that this won’t be for long as your plants and your fish start to wake, grow and balance out the water in the garden. The green algae in your water garden during the spring months is what fish are going to feed on during those earliest times so you don’t have to worry about filtering your garden too early on in the spring months. The algae that is in the water is a high nutrient food for the fish and for the fish that are just hatching this is exactly what they need for survival and to grow stronger for survival.

One thing to keep in mind if you are a beginner gardener is that often the fish eggs in the water garden can look like other problems or disease in the water. After your first year of water gardening, you will learn the difference, and if you are ever in question of what is in your water garden, just think about spring and spawning go together. Some fish will carry their eggs on their bodies, others will lay eggs in the debris in the water garden and other will place their eggs where you are not going to easily see them in the roots of your plants.

Eggs are also referred to as tubercles and can sometimes look similar to parasites on the fish but tubercles are going to be located near the gills and the chest area where parasites can be located anywhere on the fish. If you are ever in doubt about what is on your fish, be sure to look up photos of parasites and compare this to the photos of eggs or tubercles on your fish so you do not treat your fish with medications when they are not needed. Treating fish with medications can cause additional stress on your fish when they are not needed.

Keep on the look out for eggs in your water garden and be sure not to disturb them when you want to increase the number of fish in your water garden.