What does your pond look like ... Today?

[JBtheExplorer]

The pond completely thawed today. Most of my fish were swimming around today. I did see one tucked in the liner at the bottom, so hopefully it's fine. I also saw 6 frogs. Three of them were on the bottom and three had their heads sticking out of the water. It was the warmest day we've had so far, and maybe warmer tomorrow, but it won't be long before the pond is frozen over again.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

I did see one tucked in the liner at the bottom, so hopefully it's fine.

Bad news, it wasn't fine. It was in the exact same position this morning so I check it out. Unfortunately, it was dead. I haven't had a fish death since I began keeping my fish outside year-round, so this really sucks. I know winter and spring can be bad, but I suppose I always hoped it never would be. Part of me wonders if it's my own fault for forgetting to clean out the remaining waterlilies before the pond froze over and maybe that was enough to dirty the water. I did have fewer leaves blow in the pond with my net in place last Autumn. Maybe the mild winter has also played a part, I'm not sure. With the pond currently thawed, I cleaned out some of the dead waterlilies today.

 

[sissy]

The you never know .Sorry to hear .I had a rescue one die for no reason about 2 weeks ago and he looked healthy and water tests were good and they were in the basement with filter and air pump and he died .

 

[Becky]

Sorry to hear that @JBtheExplorer

 

[Nepen]

I went and bought a pond vac last weekend and just vacuumed the muck out that now my pond looks a lot cleaner. My new Nuphar lutea (the yellow water lily) is sending its first pad out already. We've been in the 70s for a week now. I'm thinking my fish might be spawning soon if this keeps going...

 

[addy1]

I have a few lilies sending leaves to the surface. One has even hit the surface.

 

[Faebinder]

I have a few lilies sending leaves to the surface. One has even hit the surface.View attachment 97502

Wow already?!

 

[cas]

Unfortunately, it was dead.

Sometimes, the fish are just weak and don't live as long as the others. Still sorry to hear. I was very happy to count all my fish again this year. That means I have 11 and 12 year old goldfish. I never realized they could live so long.

 

[Timothy]

C'mon you guys! All this talk of spring, warm temps, and spring is making me think I'm way behind the curve! Then reality sinks in and I realize it's February. Reading the posts of "awakenings" just pushed me over the edge and I HAD to see what was going on in my puddle. Shovel off a square yard of 10" deep snow, get the GoPro, and see who's awake down there. Surprisingly the temp on the bottom is 39 degrees, in spite of 6" of ice. Of course I realize the snow is a good insulator, so I shouldn't be surprised. Last year, just ice and no snow the temp was 34.

Hold your breath.........
.

WASSUP?


OK, I can relax and wait.....for a while, then it's "Let's give Mother Nature a hand here........."

 

[Nepen]

I counted 3 new greenishblack goldfish babies in my pond. Some how all the babies that survived are all grayish in colors and now they are the majority in my pond. And they are impossible to catch!

 

[cas]

@Timothy , that last picture made me laugh!

 

[Timothy]

I counted 3 new greenishblack goldfish babies in my pond. Some how all the babies that survived are all grayish in colors and now they are the majority in my pond. And they are impossible to catch!

Those new ones are indeed hard to catch! What I've ended up doing is taking a page out of some Thai women's book. We used to see these gals in canals along the road with their nets catching shrimp. What I did was go to a fabric store and get a couple yards of black netting, build a light frame, and tie lines to the corners of the frame. I sink that in the pond and when the fish start eating again train them to take food on the surface above the net. (I use dog food which happens to float for 15-20 minutes before it saturates.) After a couple of days they forget about the net and you trap quite a few by raising the net while they're pre-occupied with dinner. They will remember that trick for a while, so the net has to "soak" for a few days before you can do it again.
I've not caught all I wanted to this way, but have gotten the majority even though it's taken a couple-three weeks to do it. It becomes a "Me and Them" sort of thing I cull out the ones that aren't enhancing the gene pool and relocate them to a nearby pond.

Here's how the Thai gals net the shrimp.


Obviously the net needn't be this elaborate, but the principle applies.

 

[Timothy]

@Timothy , that last picture made me laugh!

Thank you! Sometimes a guy has to do what a guy has to do! It's kinda like that prayer, "Lord, give me patience and I want it now!"

 

[Tula]

Pulled my cover half off the pond, as it was warm and sunny today. I started up a small pump, running through the skimmer. Tonight they're all swimming around and wanted to eat!!

I fed them lightly, giving me a chance to inspect each one. So relieved they all look good.

I'm a believer, now that I covered the pond this winter....they are most defiantly more active and plant have grown all winter. Of course it's been a mild winter, but we did have some pretty cold snaps.

My cover was so simple, just a lean to, with an old solar cover.....I'll defiantly do it again next winter!

 

[sissy]

looked at my lily pond and did not even know they were up