I really like them. Hopefully in the future I will be able to put in a bigger pond and I can try again with the Golden Orfes and do it right by getting about 5 or 6. For now I am going to pass on them as I see the advice the guy in the pond store told me that one was good, was wrong. Meantime I rewarded myself by going back to the pond store and buying two new fish. I got a stunner of a butterfly koi in a strange metalic almost mustard old gold color. I know that might not sound attractive but the fish is lovely. Also a most beautiful deep almost red "goldfish" with the most long, long, long tail and fins.

Hi again. Don't know how deep your pond water is but goldfish don't do well in warmer water. The legarthic behavior and fins, shredding could just be from the stress of the water temps. They won't eat if its too hot just like if the water is too cold you shouldn't feed them. Kinda like when it's too hot for us we don't feel like eating. The deeper water is cooler. Do you have aeration? Even with a waterfall the aeration is necessary to keep oxygen in that hot water! It has stopped raining and the sun is out. Yeah! I don't know how much water I shop vaced out yesterday but there is still some in the furnace room seeping up through the concrete. Sump pump slowing down on running though. The town I live in used to be a lake a gazillion years ago but normally has a really high water table. With all the rain even if I had more sump pumps I doubt that it would have done much as the water is coming up through the floor--not along the walls. 5 ft of my basement is below ground level so that kinda says how high the water table is. Oh goldfishconnection.com has some excellent goldfish medicated food that I've used before with fish that had dropsy. It lasts a long time and the fish loved it. Also use their Progold on a regular basis. Best fish food I've found. Site also has lots of info on goldfish diseases. Good luck. Patti

My first pond was about 3000 gallons and was too shallow. My pond now is 5000 gallons and almost 5 ft. deep and I now feel it is just right. I would still add the Tench if I ever found any. But right now I am content with what I have. An abundance of bullfrogs, toads, tree frogs and beautiful fish. I have a pond full of fry, that I will have to remove at least by next summer when more are spawned. My white comet "Albie" is still chasing the females relentlessly, so I may still have more this year. I am still trying to eliminate the bluegills I put in this summer. Thought I was down to one, but I saw at least 3 a few nights ago. I fished 2 of them out. I wouldn't mind having 1 or 2, but a lot of the fry are...you guessed it.. bluegills. Glenda

What I do is offer my excess goldies to people who had a visit from a heron. That way I move them out a dozen or so at a time. Our goldfish are multiplying exponentially so I have lots and lots to give away. Sharon (one town over) and I have tried golden orfes, we shared a half dozen, but they all ended up dying within two years from one reason or another. We are going to try it again next spring though. With a half dozen each. My favorite idea on goldfish birth control is, I don't remember her name, she posted that her DH gets a few young trout every spring from his area county agent or whatever, and they fatten up on the fish spawn and tadpoles. When the water warms up in summer they are easy to catch - and then he puts them on the grill... I really want to try that some year! *giggle* :) Mary