Albino fish

It was time to add a couple of new fish to the garden pond. We had sadly lost two of our Golden Orfe during one of the several hot periods of the Summer. The heat sucks out the oxygen and leaves the fish gasping. We thought that with all of the oxygenating weed,the filters, a UV box and fountain on for most of the day that the pond was healthy enough to protect the fish and wildlife when the temperature soared. Sadly, although we never actually saw any of the fish gasping at the surface, we now know that the reason we lost the two Orfe was through lack of oxygen in the pond water. Since then we have added a fizzer/bubbler and have run several pipes off it to keep the water moving and provide oxygen bubbles in their thousands for our merry shoal of fish.

When we went into the aquatics centre, besides the goldfish, comets, shubunkins and koi they had Albino Grass Carp with pale skin and pink/red eyes. Although these pale carp were only very small, they appeared to be drawn to everyone as they passed by. I stopped and peered into their tank and immediately a third of all of the masses of fish swam towards where I stood. I then placed my hand just above the water and before I had chance to pull my hand back several jumped up out of the water and kissed my finger tips. I have never seen fish so very, very friendly before. Up and up they jumped and sucked at my fingers. My heart had been captured and so I now have two Albino Grass Carp.

I wondered what I should name them. After a while I decided upon two children’s comic names. So for their friendliness and cheekiness I thought the names Dandy and Beano suited them nicely.

I have hurriedly taken some pictures of them. One day time view which doesn’t do them justice at all and some taken as soon as it became coal black outside and here they are:

 Baby Albino Grass Carp – picture taken during daylight hours with protective netting to keep off the herons

Albino Grass Carp - Ctenopharyngodon idella - taken when it was pitch black – the light from the camera’s flash is picked up on the red eye of one of the fish in the bottom picture

Grass Carp are herbivores and are a useful fish to have in ponds, lakes and rivers as they help to keep water weeds and side growing algae under control