Question
Some 6 or 7 years ago I was bought two pond fish which I was told were tench. Over the next 3 or 4 years I found I had 5 of these. They stay on the bottom but come up for feeding. 2 years ago they produced about 30 which are now growing and feeding with other fish, Tench they are not. They are torpedo shaped rather like Orf, but there are 3 red (red backs and dark underneath and 3 black (I now have 6 adults) All with striking scarlet fins and tail. The young are some black and some mottled red/black, all with red fins and tail. A very striking fish. Allfeed on the top with other fish but go down as soon as they have fed.
What have I got?


Answer
It's often hard to idenfify fish from words.  Pictures are much more helpful.  Can you send a photo?  We can't get tench here in the US.  There are tench that may be black or red.  

Could they be rudd, another fish they don't have here.  Here's a photo of a rudd:
http://cars.er.usgs.gov/rudd_color.jpg
Rudd have lovely red fins.
If they're rudd, then it wasn't as hard to identify them as I thought.  If they're not, oops!

Good luck!
Robyn
fishpondinfo.com