You have just stocked your fresh water fish pond and now you have to decide when to let the fish swim around and interact with one another. Being the smart consumer that you are, you have realized that the best time for the fish to start eating is right after they have been stocked, as they are still quite naïve and trusting at this point in their life. So you have decided that it would be best to let the fish get used to their new surroundings for a few days before you introduce them to one another as there is a lot of tension that usually ensues when two fish of different sizes/colors meet for the first time. Your pond will be a more relaxed place once you have introduced a bit of normality to the proceedings.
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Days
In the wild, fish rarely make the same mistake twice, so it is advised by animal behavioralists that you should not repeat your same behavior towards your fellow tenants of your pond. As a result, you have decided to leave the stocking interval between 24 and 48 hours, as the first signs of aggression have usually been observed after 24 hours and the effects of the stress appear to last for about two days. As you have read in one of our previous articles, the best way to stock your pond is in a semi-static condition; that is, you should mix a few large fish of different species in an attempt to create a sense of normality in the pond and reduce the tension that comes with new individuals meeting in an unfamiliar place. The key here is to ensure that the fish in your pond are comfortable with the environment in which they find themselves and that this is a place that they want to call home. If you follow this principle, your fish will be more tolerant of one another and your daily life in the pond will be a lot less stressful.
Hours
According to a study done at the University of Guelph in Canada, the best interval to wait after the fish have been stocked is between six and 12 hours. In this time frame, the fish remain calm enough to allow you to handle them with minimal damage yet mature enough to fight for territory and food. Furthermore, the results of this experiment showed that the longer you wait after the fish have been stocked, the more aggressive they will become – up to a point. The study also showed that the optimal time for your fish to start interacting with one another is about 20 minutes after you have introduced them to the pond. This is also known as the friendly interaction period as it is at this time that the fish will begin to approach and inspect one another, sometimes nosing and bumping into one another in an attempt to get a better look at what the other has to offer. So for the best results, you should wait about 12 to 16 hours after the fish have been stocked and then introduce them to one another about 10 to 20 minutes later. Remember: the fish in your pond are not fully grown mammals just yet so be careful not to push them too far beyond their limits, as this could result in serious health problems for both you and your creatures.
In summary, the answer to your question is: it depends. If you have a single pond then you should let the fish swim around for a couple of days before you introduce them to one another, as this will help create a more relaxed setting for your water environment. However, for the best results, you should wait about 12 to 16 hours after the fish have been stocked and then introduce them to one another about 10 to 20 minutes later.