US 6,668,756 B1Granted

Artificial fish habitat for a fishpond

OwnerThomas Favoritoinventor

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Abstract

An artificial fish habitat for use with a recreational fishpond. The fish habitat is provided as at least one section, having a front panel, a rear panel, a top panel, and a substantially rectangular holder basket which is fitted into an opening within the top panel. For larger ponds, several of the interlocking sections are fitted into one another, thereby providing a fish habitat of larger overall dimensions. A plurality of slotted openings within the panels provide ready egress and ingress for fish. The holder basket is adorned with artificial grasses, thereby providing shelter for juvenile fish. The artificial fish habitat provides shelter to the fish from direct sunlight and also provides a sanctuary from natural predators. The fish habitat includes an aerator hose, which may be selectively attached to an external aerator pump to increase the concentration of dissolved oxygen within the water of the fishpond.

Claims8

Dependent claims

An artificial fish habitat, for use in conjunction with a fishpond having side walls, a bottom surface, at least one fish, and a quantity of water for the at least one fish to swim in, comprising:

at least one section, having a front panel and a rear panel, wherein the front panel and the rear panel each have an upper portion, a lower portion, a first side and a second side, said at least one section also having a top panel connecting the upper portion of the front panel to the upper portion of the rear panel, wherein the front panel, the rear panel, and the top panel together form a tunnel which may be used by the fish for shelter, wherein said front panel and said rear panel each have a plurality of slotted openings extending fully through said panels for allowing fish to readily enter the tunnel through the front panel and the rear panel;
and
at least one holder basket selectively attached to the fish habitat in proximity to said top panel, said holder basket having a bottom surface, at least one side surface, and a plurality of openings extending fully through said bottom surface and side surface, said holder basket having artificial grass for providing a sanctuary for juvenile fish which have entered the holder basket through said openings in the holder basket which are provided for this purpose.

A method of using an artificial fish habitat by a user, in conjunction with a fishpond having side walls, a bottom surface, at least one fish, and a quantity of water for the fish to swim in, said artificial fish habitat having at least one section, having a front panel and a rear panel, wherein the front panel and the rear panel each have an upper portion, a lower portion, a first side and a second side, said at least one section also having a top panel connecting the upper portion of the front panel to the upper portion of the rear panel, wherein the front panel, the rear panel, and the top panel together form a tunnel which may be used by the fish for shelter, wherein said front panel and said rear panel each have a plurality of slotted openings extending fully through said panels, wherein said top panel further has a holder basket opening extending fully therethrough, said fish habitat further having at least one holder basket which is supported within said holder basket opening in said top panel, said holder basket having a bottom surface, at least one side surface, and a plurality of openings extending fully through said bottom surface and side surface, said holder basket having artificial grass, said artificial fish habitat also having a ballast compartment within the top panel, comprising the steps of:

(a) adorning the at least one holder basket by the user with artificial grass;
(b) positioning the at least one holder basket by the user within the holder basket opening within the top panel;
(c) filling the ballast compartment by the user with heavy material so that the artificial fish habitat will be firmly anchored to the bottom surface of the fishpond;
(d) submerging the artificial fish habitat within the fishpond by the user;
and
(e) adjusting the water level within the fishpond by the user, in order to partially submerge the grasses located within the holder basket, in order that fish may enter the holder basket by swimming into the holder basket through the openings within the holder basket, and find sanctuary within the grasses.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.