Right well, I don't know the first thing about ponds so I apologise now.

I have a large (ish) Goldfish (her names Spike) in a 15 gal tank (she is healthy but not happy). Do I put her in my uncle’s pond? The problem is she has rather long/flowy fins and I am worried she may get frost bite and then fin related diseases in winter.
The pond does freeze but only thinly (if that’s a word) and there are 3 small - year old GF in there and a 4 year old male, Spike would be the biggest in there and the other fish all survive and do well in the pond all year.
Spike is nearly 6 years old and has always lived in tank, she used to live with 2 other goldfish but they died (it was because of overcrowding but I was very new to fish keeping and hadn’t a clue what I was doing).

The 4 other fish in the pond where all raised in indoor tanks and know thrive and seem healthy and happy outdoors.

Will Spike be too overwhelmed at being outdoors with all the traffic noise and winter temps?
I really just want what is best for her but her 15 gal is too small and there’s no way I can upgrade, I could bring her in for winter but it would be in a tub or the same 15 gal she is currently cramped in. She is healthy in the 15 gal but she is approx 3.5 – 4 inches in body length (minus tail) and her tail is probably that added on too, she’s not a fantail or anything but its much longer than your common goldie.

I hate seeing her in such a small tank, especially when I come on here and see you guys with 75+ gal tanks – I wish I’d have know what I was doing buying a 5 gal and 3 fry 6 years ago. I never thought it would end up like this, I have already killed 2 of my fish – Spike could get frostbite or be taken by a sneaky heron but she might not, what kind of sacrifice/risk is needed for her to have a good/better life with other fish outdoors nibbling away at all the plants/insects she could ever want? If she stays inside she will most likely outgrow this tank before I move out/get a job and can afford/have space for a bigger tank – which means she’ll suffer from the bad water quality and what kind of a life is being depressed at the bottom of the tank…..

I could take her back in a few years I guess, if she survived and I have space for at least a 55gal.

Please I need some opinions/stories/ advice on this – I really love spike, she means a lot to me, I really don’t want to send her to her death or keep her cooped up “just incase“.

Kat xx

Ps. sorry its so long, this (to me) is a very hard decision, but i brought it on myself.

Its ok, most of us started that way i was worse, i had two common goldies in a 1 gal bowl

Spike sounds like a comet goldfish, they are very hardy and do really well in ponds, and should be fine during the winter. I'm not sure if coldblooded animals can get frostbite? I think the reason fancy goldfish shouldnt be in ponds is that they are not so hardy, probably because of all the inbreeding to make the breeds. Their immune systems are already weak and exposing them to such extremes causes the immune system to get weaker, and thats when finrot (or other ailments) can set in. ..someone correct me if im wrong
so yea Spike should do very well in the pond. Just make sure you introduce her late spring to early summer, she will have the whole warm summer to get used to the pond, then the temp will very slowly go down in autumn and she will go into hibernation at the bottom.. then come back up in spring!

Thank you so much for the reply! You have put my mind at ease. I may well consider it then - did think of the fact she's cold blooded lol, I am so dumb at times. Its not like I won't ever see her again, and she won't be alone or depressed - Will wait till its warmer tho, its just turned spring (apparantly) but you wouldn't think so!

Thanks again xxxx

lol yea! Theres supposed to be a mini heatwave here.. but im not feeling it!
I'm not sure what the water temp should be before introducing her, I know you shouldnt feed the fish till its 10c, but moving a fish from a warm tank.. im not sure, id wait till its about 18c, depending on your tank temperature.

My tank temps is nearly always 21 - 22 degres C, in summer maybe touching 23C but the tank doesn't get any sun hardly, so its pretty consistant.
Heatwave?!! Its not stopped raining for 4 days here! (in the north-west)!

lol, i know the feeling, im in preston and its been raining loads, where abouts are you goldiekat?

i am going to be putting two shubunkins in my pond when it gets a bit warmer, but the ones already in there have survived two winter now and the pond frooze. so i think it will be ok. i wouldnt just transfer them from aquarium to pond, im planning on putting them in a large bucket and slowly adding pond water which will be cooler so they can adjust. just an idea.

its sunnier today though!! maybe that heatwave is coming!

I think the heatwave has come, its so nice i wanna just go lie on the grass maybe coz im in the south.. hehe

it might be nice down there, but its freezing up here!! lol.

I am in Wigan! So we are pretty close, same yucky weather

It actually sunny today (so far) but I can't believe you have a heatwave, thats so not fair lol!

12c yesterday.. better than the 3-5c we've had all week