Question

[Bob Huffman]

Hi Everyone, this is my first year of overwintering my fish in the pond. I have a couple of goldfish (about 8 inches long) in the pond with the Koi. It has been pretty cold (lows in the single digits) the last couple of days, and today, one of the goldfish has been slowly swimming near the top (not staying at the bottom like he and all of the other fish have done for the passed month or so). I have an airpump with and airstone that is keeping a 3 foot diameter hole in the thin ice cover, and I was wondering if it is normal for the fish to occasionally swim at the top when the upper level of the pond water is around 34 degrees F?

 

[Dave 54]

Bob my fish are still active at 7c all weve done is place polycarbonate double glazed roofing sheets.Note at -15c it did loose 2 degrees and dropped to 5c
The pond is lagged as is the filter housing which has a Polycarbonate lid on it and everything is encased in decking and are all at the mid level of the pond weve turned the bottom drain bubbler down to a quater of the air it normally nomally pumping into the pond.
When a fish sits on the bottom of the pond there is a danger that the larger heavier ones will develope ulcers , so they need checking in the spring and any problems sorted.
Can you see if your fish is producing extra slime coating and can you see if the gill filaments are a healthy color and are not damaged or turning a pale color ?
You must remember this is a very stressful time for them, they can become the experts say more dead than alive as the pond continues to drop to around 2c.
This is why you must check their health in the spring and then act on any problems found be they parasite, bacterial and some time virus.

Dave

 

[Bob Huffman]

Bob my fish are still active at 7c all weve done is place polycarbonate double glazed roofing sheets.Note at -15c it did loose 2 degrees and dropped to 5c
The pond is lagged as is the filter housing which has a Polycarbonate lid on it and everything is encased in decking and are all at the mid level of the pond weve turned the bottom drain bubbler down to a quater of the air it normally nomally pumping into the pond.
When a fish sits on the bottom of the pond there is a danger that the larger heavier ones will develope ulcers , so they need checking in the spring and any problems sorted.
Can you see if your fish is producing extra slime coating and can you see if the gill filaments are a healthy color and are not damaged or turning a pale color ?
You must remember this is a very stressful time for them, they can become the experts say more dead than alive as the pond continues to drop to around 2c.
This is why you must check their health in the spring and then act on any problems found be they parasite, bacterial and some time virus.

Dave

Thanks Dave. The last couple of days are the first time I've seen the fish active in a while. We have a low pressure Ice Storm headed our way, and maybe that's why the fish are being more active than usual.

 

[Dave 54]

Thanks Dave. The last couple of days are the first time I've seen the fish active in a while. We have a low pressure Ice Storm headed our way, and maybe that's why the fish are being more active than usual.

If your worried about them you can always tes the water otherwise make sure the air hole is kept open . If the fish starts to swim heads up near the air hole all the time, then you can be certain that the pond more than likely has a parasite problem that needs to be acted on .

Dave

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Also keep in mind that Goldfish tolerate extreme temperatures, especially low temps, better than Koi.

 

[Dave 54]

Also keep in mind that Goldfish tolerate extreme temperatures, especially low temps, better than Koi.

Far better than Koi Meyer as my Canadian friend Elaine used to loose her koi in the extremely cold temperatures where she geta a windchill of -54c on a bad day she has wind chill -54c.
Normally she'd have a of -24c when things are stil , she has had it lower
I suggested she move her koi indoors to her husbands work shop where they are kept in two Valts with the ponds filters swopped directly from ouside to inside , since then she hasnt lost one koi ..

Dave

 

[Bob Huffman]

If your worried about them you can always tes the water otherwise make sure the air hole is kept open . If the fish starts to swim heads up near the air hole all the time, then you can be certain that the pond more than likely has a parasite problem that needs to be acted on .

Dave

Thanks again Dave. The Temperatures have dropped to below zero outside, and the airstone is keeping an 18" hole in the ice. No fish are near the hole, so they must be doing ok. I'll keep you updated.

 

[sissy]

colleen has no problems and mitch has no problems with there fish and there temps get really cold .

 

[Dave 54]

colleen employs a cattle heater in her pond sissy not sure what mitch does but I know Elaine would loose her fish during winter should they stay outside .
Perhaps its from where in Canada they all come from thats the defining factors here sissy who knows ?

Dave