FISH AND SCAVENGER CARE

INITIAL CARE

1. Fish and Scavengers are packed at Lilypons in a bag filled with water and oxygen for their trip home to you.
2. Float the unopened bag on the surface of your pond for approximately 20 minutes. If it is very sunny and/or hot, place a damp towel across the top of the bag for shade.
3. If you have water treated with chlorine, chlorine dioxide, or chloramine, neutralize these chemicals with DeChlor or Stress Coat.
4. Treat your pond with Nox-Ich, Rid Ich, or Pon Salt to rid your pond of harmful parasites and bacteria. Use Stress Coat at this time to restore your fish's protective coating.
5. After 15-20 minutes, release your fish and/or scavengers into the pond.
6. Wait three days, or until the fish are actively swimming, to begin feeding.

SCAVENGERS

1. Anti-parasitic treatments are not necessary when introducing only scavengers (tadpoles and snails) into your pond.
2. Snails sink to the bottom of your pond and remain inactive for 7-10 days. Dead snails will float to the surface and/or be missing their trapdoors.

FISH

Spring/Summer

1. Feed your fish once or twice daily with as much food as they can eat in about 5 minutes.
2. Be sure water quality remains healthy by using an Air Pump
3. Keeping your pond ecologically balanced with the correct proportions of Submerged Plants, Scavengers, Floating Leaf Bog Plants, and Waterlilies will also aide in establishing and maintaining healthy water quality.

Fall

1. Increase the amount of food you feed your fish as they prepare for winter.
2. Use Netting over your pond to prevent leaves from getting into it.
3. Clean out any dead leaves from either aquatic or land plants.
4. Use the Lily Prune to remove spent leaves, a Skimmer to remove filamentous algae and free floating leaves, and a Leaf Eater or Pon Vac to remove leaves and debris from the bottom of your pond.

Winter

1. Fish go to the bottom and their metabolism slows considerably as the water temperature drops. They do not need food after the water temperature drops below 45 degrees F. Use a Pond Thermometer.
2. Keep an area of the surface free of ice to allow the exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen with a De-Icer. 3. Remove or shut off your pumps when the water temperature reaches 45 degrees F.
4. Do not break the ice on your pond.

Vacation: Enjoy peace of mind while you are away! Use Pond Feeder Blocks.

FISH AND SCAVENGER CARE WHILE YOU CLEAN YOUR POND

1. Prepare a temporary holding tank for your fish and scavengers. A large, clean, plastic container (clean 50 gallon trash bin) works well.
2. Fill the holding tank with water from your pond.
3. Aerate the water in the tank with a Submersible Pump or an Air Pump
4. When you are replacing the fish, be sure that water temperatures are within a few degrees of each other so to not shock your fish with a sudden temperature change.
5. Be sure to treat your new pond water as listed in steps 3-4 of Initial Care.
6. Regular use of Pond Vacs, Leaf Eaters, Skimmers, and Netting can prevent or postpone the need to clean your pond.

STRESS

1. Stress is caused by one or more factors such as: oxygen depletion, transportation, spawning, extreme temperature changes, excessive handling, pH fluctuations, excess ammonia, high nitrite levels, high nitrate levels etc.
2. A stressed fish is an easy mark for pathogens already present in the water.
3. Avoid trouble for your fish by treating your pond with Stress Coat, PonSalt, Nox Ich, and Rid Ich when stressful situations exist. If you re-treat with Pon Salt, be sure to pump out and replace 25% of the water in your pond.