Bitterlings pond size?

Hi.

The critical of the size is the winter strength.

You want in the middle a cylinder that is at least 0.9 m deep and let’s say 0.9 m wide that is half a cubic meter. Then you want to see the fish and therefore do not have a mere trench but moderately flat shores. With this you are in a still quite compact garden pond of at least 1.5 cubic meters, more than 2.5 cubic meters.

When the pond is supplied and monitored in winter, is isolated and heated it goes smaller, as well as when the fish spend the winter in the house. Absolute minimum is a few hundred litres. But that and the shells.

The shells do not allow strong filtering and that they thrive in a pond is never guaranteed.

Having a semi-clear water is therefore also a bit sensitive.

The relationship between mussels and bitterslings is an asymmetric parasitism weakened on both sides, i.e. the bitters do not use the mussels but damage a little, just for the individual bitters when they are infested by shell larvae. This combination is therefore absolutely necessary (for the bitterness stock), on the other hand a bit difficult, also animal-like (species-friendly attitude, etc.) interesting and cannot work, however.

In the aquarium it is also possible to use 1m basins (90 liters narrow or 180 l standard, more length) for the bitters* and a second unfiltered basin for the difficult to feed shells. The attitude of the bitters is easy, which of the mussels is difficult. In the aquarium you see the animals, this is an advantage.

Overall, I would also consider this because it is not always easy to observe the fish. If you’re lucky, they’re laughing in flat water. You’re also colorful. But also small and not sooo placative. I wouldn’t occupy them if I were honest.

Cuttings are more fun to show, but in contrast to the bitterling somewhat heat-aversive. Do not like heat, pralle sun is suboptimal.

Or even larger fish?