Fish

Hi I have just started a pond in the garden,I have fish in it and they all seem healthy,plenty of wildlife already.I have been given conflicting advise on wether to feed them or not through the winter, and how to look after them if the water should freeze. I know this isn't strictly a gardening question but any help would be appreciated.They are only cheep golfish from the pet shop but I have become quite attached to them.

Tina

 

T if your pond feezes over,a lot depends on the size your pond...larger the better, but the fish will die,they need air.....they may have plenty of food, but on a bright winter's day they come up and probably beg for some food...so give them the usual.
Have forgotten most lol...

Ladybird

 

Hi T. As Ladybird says they need air so keep an area free from ice. Autumn and Winter use a Wheatgerm food in temp's between 10c and 4c. Below 4c do not feed.

 

If its going to be frosty/freeze, float something like a tennis ball on the surface that you can remove next day

 

Mine hasn't frozen over for a couple of years, but when it does I place a saucepan of boiling water on the ice to melt a hole, but usually only if it looks like the ice is going to last, 2-3 days dont seem to do any harm.
Once you've melted the hole, if you can get hold of one of those polystyrene boxes that greengrocers throw out, and put it upside down over the hole, it tends not to refreeze. :D

 

Thank you for all that advice, hope to have happy healthy fish next year.

 

Hi T, I stop feeding my fish in about November and start again in March, they are about 10 years old now and have increased from 23 to about 60, they are various colours as the gold ones have interbred with the Blue Orfe (White) and Shebunkins (Blue/White) makine multi colourd fish. They still seem to be mating Sexy little things!!!! :D

 

To clear a pond area of ice place a plastic bowl full of hot water on the ice and it will evetually melt a small area. This allows other wildlife to enter and leave the pond. Also keeps the oxygen fresh in the water.

 

I stop feeding my fish late october and start again in march. We also get a lot of frogs even though its a very small pond. I also use a ball or one of the dogs toys on the pond to stop freezing.

 

Thank you all for your advice, I hope mine spend the long winter evenings keeping warm and cosy and are as producive as yours Suedobie and we have lots of little ones. Will the adults eat the babies or are they safe

 

Find a large ball or a piece of polystyrene and place it on the pond, more than one if you can find them.When the pond freezes, take out the ball etc to allow the stale air to escape and replace it before freezes again. Never, never break the ice as it can kill the fish.
The best fish I have found so far, have been the common or mirror carp.
Do not bother about the frogs too much,they can hibernate, but do keep an eye on them if they are not, as they can die under the ice and kill the fish. Watch out for fish frozen in the ice, as this can kill them too.

 

Fish need very little oxygen in cold weather as they go into semi hibernation, and do not use much energy. It is rare that ponds in England will freeze over long enough to cause problems. We don't get freezing weather for weeks on end like they do in other parts of the world.

Since 2000 when I dug my ponds neither has frozen over. Granted, they are on the large side with a depth of up to 4 feet.

I only feed my fish a handful of pellets now and then to see them. There's no rules when to stop feeding them, just when the weather is cold enough for them to stop feeding.

As for fish eating their eggs. Yes, they spawn then literally turn round and start eating, not a problem though. What would you do with 2000 baby goldfish?

[ 21. November 2005, 11:24 AM: Message edited by: Rich ]