Tench (Tinca tinca)

The Tench is a familiar and beloved native European pond fish with a deep olive-green body, small scales embedded in a heavy mucus coat, and characteristic tiny red eyes. Known in European folklore as the 'doctor fish' for its purported healing mucus, it is a hardy, bottom-oriented scavenger that cleans up uneaten food and contributes to substrate biology. Extremely cold-hardy and tolerant of low oxygen levels, it is well-suited to the ponds of Belgium and the Netherlands.

Requires a minimum 1,000 L pond with soft substrate for natural burrowing and foraging. Cold-hardy down to near 0°C — no aeration required in deep ponds. Feed sinking pond pellets and earthworms. Tolerates low oxygen levels and poor water quality better than most pond fish but thrives in well-maintained systems. Compatible with most coldwater pond fish including koi and goldfish.