How Do I Choose The Right Filter Media For My Garden Fish Pond

We have an extensive range of fish including Japanese Koi Carp, Goldfish, Australian Native fish plus more. People tend to think that you cannot have much variety in a garden pond or water feature, but we have many different types of fish available, most of which will happily cohabitate, creating a more natural ecosystem within your pond.

Having a more diverse ecosystem within the pond is beneficial for several reasons. A mixture of fish species, plants, and other organisms provides a more diverse range of interactions, creating a more interesting and natural experience for your fish. In addition to this, a good mixture of fish, plants, water snails and shrimp will ensure that all the food added to the pond will be more thoroughly processed within the food chain.

Unfortunately, we do not sell fish online, because of the risks associated with shipping them, so we only sell fish from our facility in Terrey Hills, Sydney. But we do sell pumps, filters, water plants, fish food, pond lights etc!

Japanese Koi Carp

Koi have been selectively bred for hundreds of years in Japan, to produce a variety of fish which are stunning in colour, vibrancy and elegance.

Amazing considering that they are brown in their natural form...

We have koi for sale at prices that vary greatly, and this is mainly due to 3 factors. The colour vibrancy, markings, and size.

The colours displayed in a Japanese koi fish come from the parents, but the pattern of the markings is mostly random.

This means, that even if you bred two "champion koi" together, many of the offspring will have a scattered, speckled pattern, with only a select few having a few blotches of even, symmetrical, high contrast colours.

Although all fish are beautiful, this is how one makes the distinction of a quality koi.

We have koi for sale to suit all budgets, starting at $10 for babies from good brood stocks, right through to large high-grade fish.

Japanese Koi require a pond of at least 800 litres with a good quality pump and filter.

We stock top quality Koi Carp, carefully selected and bred by Bernard Lai and our Western Australian Supplier who have both been breeding Koi for over 30 years.

We fly in our koi fish from Western Australia and from our own breeding facility in Sydney. Sure it costs a bit more, but we find that the NSW market has been plagued by diseases such as ulcers (a koi herpes virus), most likely due to poor practices and the mixing of stocks at koi auctions. We only purchase the top 10% of their premium koi, so the colours and patterns are great!

We learned our lesson (the hard way!!) and have a policy of never receiving fish from untrusted sources. The virus that causes ulcers can be devastating for koi owners, as this deadly disease can wipe out many of your fish and is very difficult to get rid of once it takes hold.

This is the reason why we cannot buy koi from the public (even if the Japanese koi look fantastic and healthy!) because we simply cannot take the chance.

At The Fish Works, we feed our koi quality fish food, including floating and sinking pellets, organic vegetables and fruit grown on site and worms grown on site. We believe that this diet, combined with the genetics of the stock we purchase makes for healthy and beautiful fish.

Varieties include, but are not limited to:
Kohaku Koi, Sanke, Showa Koi, Sanshoku, Bekko, Utsuri-Mono, Kawarimono, Hikari-Moyomono, Asagi, Shusui, Koromo, Ogon, Kinginrin, Hariwaki Doitsu, Hi-Utsuri and Ki-Utsuri.
Visit our store and find different colours, sizes and varieties of koi fish

We have a selection of premium koi of varying prices and sizes you can check out here. These fish are for pick up only

Butterfly Koi

We are one of the few places in Australia to stock the majestic butterfly koi. Butterfly koi have the long flowing tails and fins of some of the goldfish varieties but have the same colours and patterns that people love in Japanese Koi carp.

Goldfish

Goldfish Sydney

Goldfish are great in most pond sizes, including water bowls. They are not aggressive, and can even be tamed after a while, as can most fish..
Look for fish with long fins and tails, with vibrant colour.
We have many types of goldfish, from your common comet goldfish, a hardy strain ideal for any sized fish pond, to fancy strains.
Goldfish varieties include:
Comets, Ranchu, Lionheads, Pearlscales, Black Moors, Shubunkins, Orandas etc.

Native Fish

Native fish are becoming increasingly popular, especially for the outside pond. We stock many species of Native fish, such as:

Silver perch

Southern Smelt

Australian Bass

Local Blue eyes

Tandanus Catfish

Rainbows

Empire Gudgeons

Plus more depending on the season

Bass

Australian bass

Bass are great for ponds and dams that have large fish in them. Do not mix them with small fish, because they will happily devour anything that will fit in their mouths! Will grow up to 30cm in most ponds, but sometimes bigger. Minimum recommended pond size around 500 litres. These fish can be used in Aquaponics! Click here to find out more

Pacific Blue Eyes *

Pacific Blue Eyes

A popular small native schooling fish. Frog-friendly, the Pacific Blue Eye is found up the east coast of Australia.

We only get the cold water variety, which will cope with our Sydney winters! Maximum size 3cm. Minimum pond size 150 litres.

Empire Gudgeons *

Empire Gudgeon Sydney

Empire Gudgeons are a small predatory fish, eating insects that fall into the pond, but will take flakes and small sinking pellets.

The males have bright orange fins, especially the dominant males during the breeding season. Mixes fine with fish of a similar size. Minimum pond size 200 litres

Rainbow Fish *

rainbowfish Sydney

Rainbows are our most popular native fish. There are many species of rainbow fish in Australia, mostly from the northern parts. We only get rainbows from colder climates such as Murray river rainbows and ones from the Hunter Valley region. Males show an iridescent green-blue scale formation, with reddish fins. A great schooling fish that is frog friendly and will breed in well-planted ponds. Min pond size 200 litres. Frog-friendly.

Silver perch

Australian Native Silver Perch

A great addition to a larger pond or dam with koi and other large fish. Silver perch will reach up to around 40cm and can be quite tasty! Not that you would do that to your fish, right? A popular aquaculture fish, it is used increasingly in aquaponics by our customers. Minimum pond size of around 600 litres. May eat small fish.

These fish can be used in Aquaponics!Click here to find out more

White cloud mountain minnows *

Cold water White Cloud Mountain Minnow

Great little fish from the clear mountain streams in China. These little guys will reach a maximum of around 2.5cm and are frog friendly! Will breed in a well-planted pond of a minimum size of around 150 litres. Like all fish will eat mosquito larvae.

Rosy Barbs

Cold Water Rosy Barb

Nice little schooling fish that will reach a maximum size of around 4.5cm. Males are bright red and females a more copper tone, but they are still pretty. A great way to add colour and movement to a pond of a minimum size of 200 litres.

Algae Eaters *

Algae Eating Catfish

That's all they do. Eat algae! Well, they also have a bit of character, chasing other tank mates occasionally, they think they own the place! They are harmless, though. In most ponds, they will get to a size of about 12cm, but I have seen some reach up to 30cm! Give them some space so they do not think that the whole pond is theirs. Min pond size 300 litres.

Glass Shrimp *

Freshwater Shrimp Australia

Glass Shimp are great for small ponds with small fish such as blue eyes and white cloud mountain minnows. Anything bigger will eat them. Shrimp are great at eating leftover food and will pick at algae in the pond. A great and interesting addition to your pond ecosystem. Prefers a pond with at least some shady parts, plenty of submerged plants to hide in. Minimum pond size 150 litres.

Gold Medakas *

gold medaka Sydney

Found in the rice paddies in Japan, these little fish grow to a maximum of 2.5cm. They are frog friendly and peaceful, mixing well with other fish of a similar size to them.

Tandanus Catfish *Native

Tandanus Catfish

Tandanus Catfish are great for larger ponds of at least 600 litres. They have the potential to get big, so will mix well with koi and other larger native fish. Not a fussy eater, they will eat pellets, especially sinking pellets. An interesting addition to any large pond.

Murray Cod *Native

Murray Cod are a large native fish that can grow up to 180cm in the wild, but will rarely exceed 65cm in a pond. So only mix with larger fish such as koi and other large natives. A predator by nature, murray cod love a place to hide surprise their prey, such as overhanging driftwood or rocks. Can eat sinking pellets and live feeder fish, insects etc.