Am seriously having to look at new home conditions for Stan my 9" shabunk and wondering if he would be ok in a pond with Koi

I have had him from a nipper and he is just growing too quick to keep in a tank. I had found someone with a pond to take him last year but by the time it was arranged I thought it was too late in the year for him to adapt to being outside so decided to leave until Spring this year...............consequently he has grown even more, and I am becomming increasingly more attached to him

I know he wil be happier in a pond, but I have no way of ensuring that whoever he goes to will make sure that conditions are always ok or that fish are cared for properly

Anyway.............a friend of a friend has got the most wonderfull pond...............purpose built, it has got 3 levels and a waterfall, and he is supposedly fanatical about caring for his fish.................sounds too good to be true! and posssibly is! He has Koi carp...............is it possible for a shabunkin to live alongside them?

I kept shubs with koi, and they got along fine. They are as athletic as the koi and compete for food and school with them. When I moved the koi out and went to all goldfish, the shubbies actually seemed sad not to have their more muscular playmates anymore!

Bill Jordan
Small Pond Blogger

Shubunkin can live fine with koi they are single tailed goldfish while they don't get as big they have similar body shapes and are just as quick. Although they do best in a pond if your tank is large enough he could live his life in their. If it was me i would buy him a 75gal tank or larger he should be fine in a tank that size.