Leave them in the pond. If you have cold water tolerant fish (e.g. Koi) and your pond was
designed and installed correctly, they will be just fine under the ice until it
thaws in the spring. Now, you can’t just
forget about them completely. You will
need to do a couple of things to ensure their health and survival. First of all, do not feed them when the water
temperature drops below 50 degrees F.
The food they eat can sit in their digestive system, begin to rot, and
be very harmful to them.
 |
| Later Summer Pond. Koi looking for food. |
As the temperature continues to drop and before the ice
forms, remove as many leaves and other organic matter as you can (e.g. other
plant material and sticks), and install a bubbling pump and deicer / pond
heater. These are added to ensure that
an opening remains in the ice at all times.
Why is this important? Your fish
will continue to produce waste (e.g. ammonia), and we need to get that out of
the water. They also require dissolved
oxygen which they consume, along with remaining organic matter in the pond that
is decomposing. The opening in the ice
is critical to the gas exchange of the ammonia leaving and the oxygen entering.
When installing the winter bubbling pump, be sure to not place
it on the bottom of the pond. When the
ice forms over the pond, the water that is at the bottom of the pond is the
warmest and this is where the fish will hang out.
During the winter, be sure to check on the openings in the
ice, especially after a snow storm or a lot of wind with blowing and drifting
snow. If the opening becomes covered
with snow, be sure to remove the snow by lightly shoveling it away.
 |
| The pond just after the storm. Deicer and pump need to be uncovered. |
Your fish greatly appreciate the attention you give to them,
and you will get to enjoy their company again in the spring.
Visit our website www.AquaticInnovators.com
for more information and be sure to share your winter experiences with pond
fish or contact us with any questions. We can be reached by email at Shawn@AquaticInnovators.com or by
phone at (608) 373-7040. Have a great
day!
