Blue Orfe

Overview

Everything you need to know about Blue Orfe, at a glance:

• Common Names: Ide
• Scientific Name: Leuciscus idus
• Max Size: 30-60cm
• Temperature Range: 10-22°C, though can survive temperatures close to freezing
• pH Range: 7.0-8.0
• Compatibility: Very active and can spook other larger pond fish, like Koi
• Area Of Origin: Eurasia
• Suitable Foods: Variety of sticks, pellets, and flakes.
• Special Requirements: Need to be kept in large, well-filtered ponds with lots of additional oxygen

What is a Blue Orfe?

Orfe, or Ide as they’re also commonly known, are hardy, freshwater fish known for their highly active lifestyles and shoaling behaviours. They come in a variety of colours, from pale blue forms to sparkly golden forms, and they grow to max sizes of ~60cm if given the proper care.

Orfe are popular amongst pond keepers for their interesting behaviours. As well as shoaling, Orfe will also jump to catch low-flying insects, particularly in summer. While these behaviours make them fun to watch, they can spook slower, nervous fish like Koi and Goldfish.

Unlike many other pond fish, Orfe won’t snack on pond plants, making them fantastic additions to heavily-planted garden ponds. This is another reason why they’re highly regarded by seasoned pond keepers.

Orfe have slender bodies and are best viewed from above. This blue variety has a white to pale blue base colour, with occasional flecks of orange and black across their backs and along their sides. They’re genetically the same species as Golden Orfe and will shoal together.

How do I care for Blue Orfe?

Orfe are hardy, active fish that typically don’t exceed lengths of 40cm. This makes them a great choice of fish for first-time pond keepers, though it’s worth noting that they require a degree of specialist care, just like any other pond fish.

As highly active fish, Orfe require a lot of swimming space and therefore need to be kept in large ponds that can hold several thousand litres of water. A 4,000L pond will comfortably support a small group of Orfe, though bigger is always better when it comes to this species.

Orfe also require a well-filtered and well-oxygenated garden pond. These fish come from fast-moving, oxygen-rich rivers so you’ll need to simulate this habitat if you’re planning on keeping these fish. To do that, get yourself a large pond filter and a powerful pond pump capable of running a fountain and/or waterfall.

When it comes to food, Orfe aren’t picky and will readily accept a variety of sticks, pellets, and flakes. They’re predatory in nature and will actively hunt insects and other aquatic critters. That said, it’s a good idea to supplement their diets with some high-protein foods to make sure they get all the nutrients they need.

Something to look out for when keeping Orfe is their tendency to jump, particularly during summer when there’s a bounty of insects on and just above the water’s surface. By keeping Orfe in a large pond, you’ll remove some of this risk, but to offer them an added layer of protection it’s a good idea to invest in a cover net.

Orfe, while hardy, are also particularly susceptible to heavy metals sometimes found in tap water and certain pond medications. For this reason, always use a quality water conditioner whenever you add additional water, or medication, to your garden pond.

How is this Blue Orfe delivered?

All of our aquatic animals are dispatched from our livestock distributor and delivered directly to your doorstep. Our distributor dispatches and delivers livestock packages Tuesday through Friday to avoid animals being in transit over the weekend. To further minimise time spent travelling, all livestock deliveries are made before 1pm on the day of delivery.

After placing your livestock order, you’ll receive all the information needed to track your livestock order via email. If you have any problems regarding delivery, or concerns about the health/wellbeing of your animal(s) upon arrival, please contact us, Swell UK Ltd, immediately, or at least within 48 hours of receiving your livestock order.

Any other, non-livestock items that you purchase alongside livestock will be sent via standard or express delivery and arrive at your delivery address in a different package. This means that, depending on when you place your order, you may receive your non-livestock items before or after your livestock package.

For a detailed breakdown of when you can expect to receive your livestock package depending on the day you placed your order, be sure to check the delivery details in the specifications below.

How do you acclimate a Blue Orfe to a pond?

It’s very important that you acclimatise new fish to your pond. This is the process of gradually adjusting an animal to its new environment and it’s especially important in an aquatic setting where sudden changes in water temperature, pH, and nitrates can cause stress, illness and, in some cases, even death.

To acclimatise your Blue Orfe, add it to a large, dimly lit container and add a small amount of pond water every few minutes. Do this until water temperatures in this container match water temperatures in your pond, and for at least 20 minutes. If you don’t have a large container to hand, you can float the bag containing your fish in your pond instead.

You should always set up your pond and make sure it’s ready for fish prior to purchasing any. It’s also a good idea to let your pond filter mature for a few months before adding Orfe.

Above photos are for illustration purposes only; livestock received may not exactly match those photographed.