This is a very late reply but I so want to put my 2 cents in. When I first
put my pond in well over a decade ago (but not 17 years ago since that is as
long as I have been here), I put some feeder fish in from the local pet
store just to keep the mosquito population down. I had about 50% die off
but was not heartbroken about it since the poor things were meant to live
only a week or so anyway (being intended as someone's dinner). Once my pond
was established I went out and got the koi of my dreams. Beautiful
butterfly in yellow, platinum and orange/gold. I bought them as little 2
inchers and they within a couple of years were incredibly long and graceful.
I enjoyed them for some time but then tragedy struck. I went on a trip,
leaving my son in charge of the pond. He did not notice that the hose had
been pulled out of the pond and the water was pumped out to a depth of 6
inches. Needless to say in the heat of August my 3 koi were fried. A
remarkable number of my goldfish though survived. I never replaced those
koi and probably never will. Every year I have another favorite in the pack
of goldfish that I watch and admire. This year I have an intense red and
white beauty with a tail twice as long as her body. She is probably 9
inches long. Coming up in the babies is one that is truly bizarre looking -
he looks like a black and gold tiger. I know he won't stay that way for
long so I enjoy him while he is what he is (kinda like children). I never
know who will be around next year but there are always survivors. When the
kingfisher or heron stops by for lunch I don't run and get the shotgun but
instead enjoy their beauty as well. Every once in awhile I think of the
beautiful koi I once had but for me they are just not worth the worry. My
goldfish thrive on benign neglect, keep our yard mosquito free and give the
pleasure of a beautiful thing to watch. I also enjoy my little mosquito
fish in the smaller pond by the back door. Nothing spectacular, they just
come in gold or black but they swim in schools as babies, dart about
frantically and add life to the pond.

Donna

P.S. Please post how things go.