I was a little self concious when I was taking pictures of my fish - thinking the neighbors (they don't have ponds so how could they understand?) might think I was nuts. It's so nice to find that other people are enjoying their fish as much as I am! This is my first pond and we just started in the spring so I would appreciate all the advice I can get for wintering. My pond is about 30' in diameter and about 3' deep, semi spring fed. We released about 30 goldfish(feeder fish) and shubunkins in the spring and when I got into the pond the first time to clean the filter and clean up some of the plants, I thought I must have killed them because I never saw them again. . . but there were lots of fry. And then about 3 weeks ago, as I was feeding the babies I saw at least 9 large golden images at the bottom of the pond. It has taken me 3 weeks of feeding to coax them into coming up and trusting me a little. They are like 6" long! My husband says they would make a good sandwich! Anyway, I couldn't believe it and I've been having a great time trying to get them to relax and trust me. The babies have no fear of me at all. I do believe they have good memories and they learn well - such a surprise. I've known all kinds of animals and have great respect for their intelligence but I have never gotten to know any fish befor and I am really surprised by their distinct "personalities" and their smarts. I've been feeding them well in hopes that they would make it through the winter well. I am in southern Pennsylvania and wonder if I should be feeding them right into the colder weather or if I should taper off. Are there any other things I should know about fish that you can tell me? (Especially regarding cold weather)
Wow, I'm glad I'm not the only one!
I only had a deck pond(big pot full of water and some plants) but since I didnt have anything big or deep enough I brought my last goldfish in for safekeeping. I would think your fish will be just fine with 3ft of water to hybernate in. I know you should stop or slow down feeding them but dont know all the details so thankfully there are alot of pros here that can give you alot more info than I can.
Congrats on the babies!
This is how Im saving my goldfish and water hyacinth, LOL.
i stop feeding my fish totally when the water temp hits 55 degrees thier little systems go in to hibernation and they cant digest protien, if you want to give them something i would feed them cherrios mine love them and they wont plug up thier systems:)
I agree with the above message. They will start begging when they see you- resist the temptation to feed them. I also start them back up in the spring with a small amount of plain cheerios.
Does the water freeze solid where you are? You might call a pet store in your area to find out what other pond people do to winterize their ponds. Also, you might try to see if there is a local water garden society where you are. One of their members might want some of your extra goldfish.
I know there is a formula out there for how many inches of fish you can keep in how much water. If you are going to keep a lot of fish, filtration becomes important. Also, too much ammonia in the water and they all die.
I just had a friend lose a lot of fish she had for over 13 years because the power went out at her house and she didn't have a generator to keep her pump going. When fish are distressed and looking for air they will stick their heads out of the water and have their mouths going.
We leave our pump on year round to keep the water aerated. Ask around to see what folks in your area do. Our goldfish multiply like rabbits and I'm always giving them away. I have a portable aerator so I can transport them to their new homes.
Lots of people take pictures of their fish. You only have to wonder about the ones who carry fish photos along with the spouse and kids in their wallets or purse. LOL
I understand what you mean. I just put in a small pond--only 86 gallons. Friday, I bought two fantail goldfish from a pet store and put them in the pond. This morning when I went out to feed them, they swam right up to the top. Before that, they had stayed at the bottom. A couple of times, I couldn't even see them, which alarmed me. It's nice that they came right out this morning--probably because they are from a pet store, they are used to people more.
I didn't know they weren't supposed to be fed in the cold. It doesn't get too cold here, but we will have some nights that drop down. I thought I would take them out and put them in a bowl if we had any hard freezes coming. I wonder if the pump is good enough. It sprays water and is also connected to a spitter.
Funny -- "I was a little self concious when I was taking pictures of my fish - thinking the neighbors (they don't have ponds so how could they understand?)"
We don't have a fish pond, but are avid picture takers of our dogs and cats and often wonder if the neighbors see us taking their pictures! Or of us standing out in the yard taking photos of the plants, yard renovation before-after shots, etc.
Enjoy the goldfish sandwich. ;-)
-Tif
never let your pond frezze over totally
either leave a aireator, pump or a floating heater on the surface so that the fish will have oxygen
Welcome to the club! My neighbors KNOW I'm nuts!
Welcome WendyD,
Always nice to see we have another pond addict on board! I enjoy my Koi and Shubunkin too. LOL! I will add a link here that has a lot of good info on everything pond. But also just make a quick note that in messages above, no one said the temp is not what is outside, but the water temp is. Buy a floating thermometer at a pet store and it will tell you the times to feed and stop feeding. You need constant water movement to avoid freezing, and don't bust ice with a hammer, etc. it will kill fish! Use a pan of hot water to melt through. As for the electricity loss, 9 fantail goldfish died within 3 hours due to low oxygen. Also high chlorine levels in the water will kill fish too. We all start somewhere, but you are at least seeking the information first, and that is good. Best of luck in over wintering. Here is the link. Oh, and show us some of those pictures!
Sheila
http://www.fishpondinfo.com/ Robyn has a lot of info on there, and links to other sites with info.
It's interesting to see a picture of a cat on a fish pond site. I have a cat, but so far he doesn't seem to be fishing in the pond. The day before I got the fish, he had his legs 3/4ths of the way soaked, so I know he tried to get a frog that had moved in, but I think he hates water enough to stay away. It's been almost a week, and the fish are still there.
This message was edited Oct 20, 2005 1:13 PM
Everyone's fish are beautiful. I too, take pictures of my fish. Then show them off at work like they were my children.
We are still having 90F temps so the water temps have not fallen to 55F yet but soon it will be. They do beg don't they though?
Thanks for all your input. I've been busy outdoors in the garden and at the pond -the weather here in PA has been just gorgeous. Of course today is supposed to be 74 and it is hard to believe it is Nov 4! But we'll take it- I always think that winter is too long anyway. I've been busy shoveling duckweed and leaves off the top of the pond along with twigs and branches that have been blowing in. I appreciate the advice on feeding -have to get that thermometer as even though it has been quite warm, we are on the verge of frost at night. I have been feeding them well because they are begging and never thought about it being the water temp instead of the air temp. I was very surprised when I got into the pond with my hip waders to find it soooo cold, thought I'd hyperventilate trying to clear leaves from the pump and having to douse my entire arms into the water. . . We do no filtering in this pond since we have an outside water source most of the year (springs) and I do know that we shouldn't let it freeze- we'll probably keep the falls going and the pump running all winter. A great idea about getting in touch with someone who can take some of these fish- I don't want to wait too late to find that they are overpopulating the pond. I am very sad to be preparing to not see my fish all winter :( I've not had so much fun in my gardens since my mother died 15 years ago (she and I loved to garden together). But this would have been a year she would have been proud of as I had the chance to create new gardens around a new house and for the first time in my life I had time to plan ahead(empty nest). It really was some fun and although the pond was my husband's idea, I incorporated it easily and have really loved what it ads to my garden - sound of the waterfall, reflection and always changing conditions of the water, it's definitley a boon to the birds who are always playing at the beach end of the water's edge. Frogs and the singing of the frogs! What a glorius noise they make and what sweet little creatures. And of course, I'm learning alot about fish and other water dwellers, like the little boatmen and even the dragon flies. I guess most of all, what I like is the feeling that I'm stepping into another world when I visit my pond - a world complete in itself, with many little lives that know nothing about all the trivialities we deal with in a day, from traffic jams to telemarketers! It is a good reminder that life can be so peaceful and so simple.
Wendy, you have to post a picture of your pond. I have had my small (90 gallons) pond for a few weeks now, and I also really enjoy the peaceful spot it is.
The water doesn't get too cold here in Florida, but every now and then we get a frost or light freeze. I bought a small solar pump for a pond spitter, to keep the surface of the water moving on the days it looks like it may get cold enough to put an ice shell over the surface.
Wendy,
I would also like to see pics of your pond, especially if you are getting fish babies! I've had mine for about a year and a half, but no fry as of yet. Do you do anything in particular?
Fireant-post a pic of yours as well, I'd love to see another smaller Florida pond.
I have to wait for my daughter to return from college this December. She's got both the digital camera and the laptop. I am working some more on the landscaping around it over Thanksgiving because it looks a little rough right now.