Time to buy fish?

[Dmitry]

Hi , I'm thinking about stocking my almost finished pond with koi, I know I shouldn't feed them if water is lower than 50f .
The water is still cold in CT.
If I'm gonna buy fish , let say, from California or indoor facility ,were temp is 70 , will it die because of food being already in their system and they can't process it if temp under 50.? Just a thought .

 

[VanDiesil]

Depends on the food, Dmitry. In the colder water, fish find it easier to digest less oily foods hence why there are wheatgerm pellets for feeding the fish in these conditions. As long as the food goes soft in cold water, the fish will be able to pass it easily with a slower metabolism. I have never heard of fish dying through not being able to process food, the main reason why people don't feed the fish in the cooler conditions is that the fish are less active and are more reluctant to eat due to their metabolism slowing down, and the food will sink and depending on amount put in, cause an ammonia/nitrite rise (same as overfeeding in the warmer months can do the same) as it rots.

 

[mrsclem]

Most koi vendors don't feed the fish they are shipping for several days so the ammonia levels don't build up in the shipping bags. I always keep mine off food for several days before a sale.

 

[RobAmy]

I live in RI so not to far from you and have been feeding my fish already, they are doing fine. They are as active right now as in the summer. I feed smaller amounts and only once a day right now.

 

[RobAmy]

So you built a pond for them, I know you wanted to stock the natural pond/stream but found out that was not a good idea. Any pictures of the new pond?

 

[Dave 54]

Hi , I'm thinking about stocking my almost finished pond with koi, I know I shouldn't feed them if water is lower than 50f .
The water is still cold in CT.
If I'm gonna buy fish , let say, from California or indoor facility ,were temp is 70 , will it die because of food being already in their system and they can't process it if temp under 50.? Just a thought .

We kept our koi indoors for 22 years at a permanent temperature of 22c chilled to 16c for shows in the summer.
Ill health finally caught up big style and I realized we had to move outside if the hobby was to survive "it takes less time now than it did before with less effort maintenance wise ", however our koi went through the coldest winter on record here in the South West of the UK and the temperature really dropped it ended up at -10c and this went on for months .
By spring we were very worried for the koi and when the covers came off shock wasnt the word they had over wintered quite well and all had pulled through.
Obviously you wont drop your California koi direct into a winter that's for sure but if it has time to acclimatize during early summer thru to late Autumn then if you have everything just right then you fish would survive .

Dave

 

[sissy]

I would try to find a local dealer .If you google you may find local people there .

 

[Mmathis]

I can't answer your question [except to ditto what Mrsclem said], but would like to remind/caution you to go slow adding fish. That goes for koi, goldfish, any fish.

I don't recall how big your pond is....?

 

[dieselplower]

I wouldn't add any fish till pond has established a "cycle" and the water is around 70 degrees.