Spring Foam on the Pond Surface? No Worries, Its Just Fish Spawning!

Turpin Landscaping Inc
by Turpin Landscaping Inc
During this time of the year, Turpin Landscaping receives many phone calls asking about the foam on the surface of their ponds and why their fish are overly active. Assuming that others had the same questions, I thought it would be nice to take a few lines to address what pond owners are seeing.
Fish reproduce through a method called spawning. Different fish will spawn using different methods but the simple overview is that the female fish will release her eggs into the water while the male fish will release their sperm into the water. This sperm is what causes the foam and sheen on the surface of the water. The extra energy you are seeing from your fish is caused by the male fish knocking the eggs from the female fish. They will use their tails to hit the females against the sides of the pond to knock their eggs loose.
The behavior you see is perfectly natural and you do not need to change any of your pond care habits to accommodate for this behavior. Additionally, if you do not see baby fish, this is also natural. Fish will eat the eggs of others so it is rare for fish to reach adulthood. The most important thing to remember is this is a natural process and your pond will clear shortly without any interference!
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  • Sherrie S Sherrie S on Dec 06, 2013
    Hey anybody that lives close to me in Florida can have some of my 3-4" Koi. I have a large pond but I think I have too many fish now. Koi are free but the Koi & I require a good habitat for them.
  • Kate Kate on Aug 18, 2016
    Fascinating info even for those of us who only get to see koi (and other fish) ponds in public places. Thanks!
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