Well, I managed to get all the fish out this weekend and into the basement tanks. I told my hubby that with the 18 inch side being as slick as it was that I would end up falling in and I did slip and ended up flat on my butt in the 2 foot side. The water was 56 degrees so it was freezing.

My largest Koi jumped out of the tank downstairs yesterday. Luckily I found him before it was too late. He is now in the pond as I felt that was a better place for him to recover in. Any suggestions on what to do??? Do you think a net like the ones I used to keep the leaves out of the pond would work to keep the fish in? I really don't want to leave him outside but it may be my only choice.

Don't feel bad - hey if you have not feel in your pond then you haven't been around it enough! As for keeping your Koi in I use chicken wire or you can go to the fabric section of like nooppee and get some netting to put over the tank. Just a few things I have done. I lost two Koi this summer that way and my big Shubie jumped out and I found him direct and grass covered and looking dead, but I saw a fin flap so I put him back in the water with little hope - the darn thing lived!

Going to nnnnnn for the netting sounds so much cheaper than buying the pond netting that is sold. I think I'll be trying that. The other fish seem to be adjusting very well. I'm still trying to figure out how Zilla even managed to get out. The water in their tank is a bit lower and there are a ton of plants!

As for falling in the pond....no, it wasn't the first time but it was the coldest!!!!

I can feel how that is, having some hands on experience in the pond....
My hubby had to stand in the middle of our 1200 gl above ground pond to catch my 12 inch comet out, since I wanted him with my in the new house, so he stood there, big net in his hand, and was trying to get something that was just as fast as a koi! The koi must have thought this is something new to inspect, and they were all swimming around his legs in a big clump, and he had a hard time even spotting the comet among all the other shades or red and white. I bet they laughed at him too!
After 20 min he gave up, decided another approach. He threw some pellets in, and after everybody came for his food, he finally was able to get the comet...But it must have been such a funny site!
BTW, pond netting is really the safest way to go. They might sell similar fabric at nnnnnn, but you never know what components are in that fabric, and there is all kinds of stuff it might give off when it rains on it....

Floating foam on the top of the water will help to keep the fish from jumping, and will help a bit with insulating, too. You could easily find a piece that would cover most of the tank area. If you opt to keep him in the pond, use several pieces of foam that cover *almost* all of the pond surface. Using several pieces instead of one large one is to ensure that if the fish does manage to jump out, he will fall back in through the pieces of foam rather than become trapped on the top of one large foam piece.

Thanks everyone. I'm thinking I'll move him back inside this weekend and just put pond netting over the top of that tub. I'd hate to lose him.