Fish care when temps are all over the place

[JBailey]

I live in the PNW and winter temps can range from the teens to 60 and back within a few days. We rarely get a steady range of winter temps, so how do I follow all the advice about wintering fish over?

We made a quick trough pond this summer to provide some extra habitat for garden wildlife and ended up adding a few feeder goldfish. I actually have never fed them, since they we working over the algae nicely. When the forecast called for below freezing the first time, I pulled the fountain pump and dropped in a trough heater we had on hand.
Even though we got down to 18 or so for a few nights, there was never any icing and the water seemed too warm for winter. So I pulled the heater and put the pump back in. I have since bought a lower watt de-icer, but temps have been above freezing for a while.

The fish all seem healthy and active, and I noticed one eating what I think was a japanese beetle larvae that fall into the trough periodically. The lowest water temp I measured was 39. I don't have a thermometer out there all the time though & have to use one from my incubator to check.

Should I just keep monitoring activity and leave them alone? There is still algae and the water hyacinths even managed to reseed before getting frozen to death, so the fish nibble the algae on the roots.

 

[pecan]

In zone 8 I would not worry about it. Just keep everything running as usual over the winter. I am in Salt Lake Valley and we are a zone 7a. After having the pond for 5 years and never getting a lot of ice for long periods, I am trying to leave both mine running this winter. The water movement along can keep the water from freezing especially in a zone 8.

If you're nervous about it, simply add the heater when temps drop, but leave the rest running.

 

[JBailey]

I think the main thing I need to watch for is pulling the fountain pump if we get a deep freeze, so it doesn't get wrecked. It's a little micro thing that I had in storage, just to tide us over until we build a nice bigger pond in the spring.

I'm amazed at how well these fish are doing, so leaving well-enough alone is probably the best course.

We sometimes get crazy blizzard nor'easters, but so far not this year, knock wood. The maps say we're zone 8, but history and topography say

 

[Meyer Jordan]

How many are a "few" feeder Goldfish? What is the capacity (gallons) of the trough?

 

[pecan]

I put air stones over my pumps, when I shut them down but left them in the pond in previous winters and even now with them running the bubbles keep that area from freezing.

We had a big snow hit us last night. You can see the bottom left side of the pond is where the pumps are with air stones sitting above them. Yesterday there was no ice on the pond and what see on there now is mainly slush.

You'ed be surprised at how hardy goldfish can be. In past winters I've had the pond freeze solid for a few weeks with a couple inches of ice and just air stones keeping a hole and the fish were fine.

 

[JBailey]

4 fish, maybe 3" long, in 150 gal trough with small pump and a few plants of different heights/depths, plus floating hyacinth not quite dead.

It's in a location sheltered from the north (cold) wind and close to the septic, so the ground near by stays slightly warmer unless we get a long freeze. I also have it set up now so I can upturn a clear storage tote over the plants at one end when it gets below freezing, which traps a little heat too.

I just need to keep these guys going until their new pond is ready in the spring. Funny how much trouble some .37 fish can be, but they are fun to watch and care for. Can't wait to make them some appropriate habitat.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

4 fish, maybe 3" long, in 150 gal trough with small pump and a few plants of different heights/depths, plus floating hyacinth not quite dead.

It's in a location sheltered from the north (cold) wind and close to the septic, so the ground near by stays slightly warmer unless we get a long freeze. I also have it set up now so I can upturn a clear storage tote over the plants at one end when it gets below freezing, which traps a little heat too.

I just need to keep these guys going until their new pond is ready in the spring. Funny how much trouble some .37 fish can be, but they are fun to watch and care for. Can't wait to make them some appropriate habitat.

Sustainable fish load. They should be OK!

 

[JBailey]

Sustainable fish load. They should be OK!

Awesome! Guess I will just carry on then. I'm sure my neighbors think I'm nuts when I go out at night and jacklight the fish with my little tactical flashlight. I'm looking forward to planning some low key lighting in the new pond so I can skip the night raids.