Table of contents
- Shubunkin
- The ideal pond
- Size
- Water
- Technical Equipment
- Stance by Shubunkin
- lining
- hibernate
- propagation
- fry
The Shubunkin are becoming increasingly popular, and rightly so! On the one hand, the colorful fish impress with their eye-catching appearance and, on the other hand, they do not require a particularly high level of maintenance. With species-appropriate husbandry, the fish not only live up to 20 years, but also constantly provide for offspring. Read here which requirements must be met for keeping them and how you can best care for the colorful ornamental fish!
Shubunkin
The Shubunkin is a cultivated form of the common goldfish, which looks similar to the koi. However, the Shubunkin are a bit smaller and are also considered to be less demanding than the Koi. In appearance, the popular ornamental fish from Japan is in no way inferior to its conspecifics and also impresses with its colorful pattern.
- Colours: white, yellow, orange, red, blue, black
- Pattern: Spotted colors, also on the fins
- Scales: metallic, transparent
- Body Shape: Resembles the common goldfish
- Size: 10-30 cm, caudal fin can be up to 50% of body length
- Age: 15-20 years
- Purchase price: Around 30 euros for a 20-25 cm fish
A notice:
The individual optical characteristics of the Shubunkin are only partially inherited during breeding. It is not uncommon for goldfish to be among the offspring.
The ideal pond
Although the Shubunkin are considered relatively undemanding fish, the optimal pond is still a basic requirement for the species-appropriate keeping of these ornamental fish. Because both the pond size and the optimal properties of the water promote the well-being of the fish and ensure that they live long and even reproduce!
Size
Shubunkin are considered to be extremely active and therefore require a lot of space. But not only the urge to move is decisive for the optimal pond size: The minimum depth depends on the one hand on the summer, because the fish need cool water in the warm season. On the other hand, the pond must be deep enough for the fish to overwinter. Likewise, the pond should have shallow areas of about 15 centimeters so that the shubunkin can breed easily.
- Minimum depth: 70 cm
- optimal depth: 1-1.5 m
- Capacity: 1 m³ of water per fish (1000 liters)
Water
Ideally, the pond is in a semi-shady to shady spot so that the water does not heat up too much in summer. Because the Shubunkin can endure a water temperature of up to 30 degrees for a short time, but this is by no means optimal. It is therefore advisable to provide additional shade by planting aquatic plants such as water lilies in the pond.
- temperature: max. 25 degrees
- pH: 6.5-8.3
- total hardness: max. 10-12 dH
- Nitrite: 0 mg/l
- Ammonia: 0 mg/l
- Nitrate: 0-25 mg/l
Technical Equipment
In order to always keep the water quality at a high level, the use of technical aids is worthwhile. An air pump enriches the water with oxygen and at the same time ensures that fermentation gases can escape quickly. This is particularly important in the winter months, especially since the pump hose keeps a hole in the ice cover free. Although a pond is a self-contained ecosystem, it is worth installing an additional pond filter. Because a pond filter supports the economic balance as follows:
- cleans the water
- catches debris such as fish droppings and algae
- pumps cleaned water back into the pond
- converts ammonia to nitrite
- Nitrite and oxygen become nitrate
- Nitrate is valuable for aquatic plants
Tip:
If too much algae forms in the pond, it is worth purchasing a UV clarifier. Because the algae deprive the Shubunkin of valuable oxygen and thus pose a life-threatening danger to the fish.
Stance by Shubunkin
The Shubunkin is a schooling fish and should therefore under no circumstances be kept individually. The species-appropriate keeping provides that the ornamental fish is kept in a school of at least five pieces. Better yet, provide the Shubunkin with more conspecifics. However, the pond size must be taken into account, because the more fish there are, the bigger the pond should be. The Shubunkin not only feel comfortable with their own kind, but also harmonize extremely well with the following fish:
- goldfish
- koi
- orfe
lining
If a pond is optimally equipped, it usually hardly needs to be fed by hand. Because the shubunkin are usually self-sufficient and feed on aquatic plants and small animals such as water fleas and mosquito larvae, among other things. In order to ensure that the fish are adequately supplied, you can of course still feed them. There is a general rule of thumb for the amount of feed: Do not feed more than the fish consume in about 5 to 10 minutes. If food remains after this time, the amount of food should be reduced accordingly. Because the leftover feed remains in the pond and contaminates it. The following should also be observed when feeding:
- Only feed high-quality, easily digestible food
- Feed mixtures for Shubunkin are ideal
- however, flake or granulated food is also suitable
- the colder it gets, the less feed
- Feed 1x per day from spring to autumn
- 1 diet day per week is perfectly fine
- don't feed them at all in winter
- because the fish fall into hibernation
hibernate
Fish are known to hibernate during the cold season and need sufficient space and oxygen for this. If the pond is deep enough, hibernation usually works without any problems. As a rule, the pond does not freeze completely, but only the upper layer of water. However, there should always be a hole in the ice cover so that enough oxygen can flow into the pond. In addition, the fish also produce foul gases in winter, which can escape through the hole. The following tips have therefore proven their worth for a smooth hibernation:
- Leave the pond surface partially open
- Egg preserver prevents freezing
- Thaw ice sheet with boiling water
- Never open a frozen pond!
- Fish damage could be harmed
- provide additional oxygen
- with reeds or aeration stones
A notice:
The use of a circulation pump is not advisable in winter, as this transports the cold water from the surface to the depths. However, the water temperature there must not drop below 4 degrees, otherwise it will be too cold for the Shubunkin. Temperatures that are too low are life-threatening and should be avoided if possible!
propagation
The Shubunkin are considered to be extremely keen to reproduce, especially if the optimal pond conditions are present and they are fed additionally. The mating season of the Shubunkin is usually in April and May, although the fish are only capable of reproduction after a certain age. The males are generally sexually mature from the second year of life, whereas the females are only capable of reproduction from the third year. In the case of the males, the willingness to mate can also be recognized visually, because they get white dots on the gills and on the front fin. The mating of the shubunkin usually proceeds as follows:
- Males "force" the females to lay eggs
- chase and/or poke them
- Males fertilize laid eggs
- Spawns usually stick close to the water surface
- often on pond liner or stones
A notice:
The spawn look like a caterpillar and are mostly whitish or white. shiny silver.
fry
After about a week, the first young fish hatch from the eggs. The offspring are about one to two millimeters long and dark (almost black) colored. In most cases, their actual coloring only develops after a year, although there are some exceptions. Because every now and then the fish change color much earlier, so that they already show their typical colorful pattern after a few days. Since the Shubunkin like to act cannibalically and often eat their own eggs and young, the newly hatched fish should be protected:
- catch the juveniles that have hatched
- put in an aquarium
- leave them there until they are about 4 cm
- then put it back in the pond
Tip:
If there is no aquarium, the young fish can also be protected in the pond with a few simple steps. Because a well-planted shallow water zone also offers the young fish sufficient protection in the pond.
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