Spring is an important time of the year for pondkeepers. As water temperatures begin to rise the metabolic rate of fish increases meaning they need extra care and attention as they become more active. This presents a great opportunity for retailers to boost sales by educating pondkeepers on the range of pond care and food available, and also allows them to position themselves as local experts encouraging relationships with consumers leading to repeat visits.
Tetra’s Spring Checklist for Retailers
Food
Retailers should advise consumers to continue to offer fish TetraPond Wheatgerm Sticks, an easily digestible, floating stick food containing high-quality wheatgerm, for a healthy, balanced diet when the water temperatures are still cold in spring.
Once temperatures rise above 10°C fishkeepers should switch to summer foods, such as Tetra Natural Sticks and Natural Mix which create a completely natural feeding experience for easy digestion resulting in clear and clean water, and healthy fish.
Tetra Pond food products are priced at £4.50 - £17.50 depending on product and size
Fish Health
A rise in water temperatures also awakens bacteria and parasites. Before fish are fully active there is a window where they become vulnerable to infection and so it’s important to educate consumers about how they monitor fish behaviour and appearance closely for indicators of disease, such as gasping for air near the surface of the water, scratching or rubbing against solid objects in the pond, or showing signs of eroded fins or red haemorrhaged patches on the skin.
If pondkeepers suspect disease, retailers should recommend they dose their pond with TetraPond MediFin, a broad anti-parasitic which will reduce the number of pathogens in the pond making it a safer place for fish until their immune systems are fully ready.
Tetra’s Pond MediFin is priced between RRP £9.00-£25.00 depending on size
Water Quality
Testing water quality is very important in the spring. Like the fish, the beneficial bacteria living in the filter are also affected by water temperatures. In spring they are rebuilding their populations ready to process the rising concentration of ammonia excreted by the fish.
Fishkeepers should use TetraPond Ammonia and Nitrite test kits to ensure the population of these bacteria is sufficient to keep levels of both toxic pollutants at zero. Tetra’s free Water Test app can also be used to test pond water allowing pondkeepers to log water quality data from their pond so they can track water chemistry changes through the seasons.
Over the winter months ponds can also accumulate an excessive amount of sludge. Using Tetra Pond SedimentMinus which has a new and improved liquid degrades organic bottom sludge effectively leading to improved water quality and increased depth visibility.
Tetra’s water solutions are priced between £9.00-£25.00 depending on product and size
To further increase sales retailers should use the spring season as an opportunity to encourage pondkeepers to think about the aesthetics of their pond. By suggesting a revival of plants or water features, retailers will be able to increase basket size and spending in store. This will also allow retailers to highlight to consumers the range of products they have available and encourage repeat visits.
For more information about Tetra, visit http://www.tetra.net/en/en or email info@tetra-fish.co.uk
