I'm very new to this. Not so long ago, or you can say a few months ago, I got myself a pond, it's not very big, first i bought 1 shubunkin goldfish but then I found out that it's very lonely so I went out and bought 1 more. They seem to be very happy in the pond, i have plants in them, nymhpaea mostly. It's getting cold but winter wont be here in a few months, but it's pretty cold.

My question is, can I keep the 2 shubunkins outside during winter? I got a filter running and I was worry so i bought a heater, the heater wont make much difference but i figured it would keep the pond alteast somewhat abit warmer. I have never have goldfish out in the winter before, because these 2 shubunkins are my first shubunkin. I actually raise guppies for a long time before I got this 2 shubunkins and that is why I'm clueless. Sorry if I sound like an idiot I can't really bring it inside. My family don't seem to be so happy about the idea for some odd reason, when the shubunkins are so cute...I just don't want my 2 shubunkin to die because of the cold water.

Oh and did i tell you how cute they are?! They are the best fishes ever. I'm going to admit that I love the shubunkins more than my guppies lol! lol but I love all fishes

Hi CG, Congratulations on your pond...... It sounds nice. First of all, where do you live? The climate in your area determines whether or not you'll have to bring the fish indoors for the winter.

Most of us with severe winter weather buy a stock tank de-icer and metal frame to float in the pond. The metal frame keeps the deicer from coming into direct contact with the sides of the pond. The de-icer itself will keep a hole open in the ice so that the fish can get air..... This should prevent your pond from totally freezing.

You should try to do a fall/early winter cleaning of gunk and leaves off the bottom of the pond before real winter really sets in. If you will get a hard freeze and a lot of ice, you may want to unplug the pump and let the waterfalls stay dry for the winter. They may freeze solid otherwise.

Different people prepare their ponds for winter in different ways, depending on where they live and how severe the weather is.....

I've used the stock tank deicer for 15 years and the fish have done fine with that..... Good luck.

How deep is your pond?


I would buy a 40 gallon tank to house them in during the winter


and make sure to let in run for 4 weeks before you put the fish in!!!

Dear Gardengirl - Thanks for the great advice, i will do that if I can't bring them inside. I live in U.S. Oklahoma, so when it's winter, it's nto that awfully cold, snow but not alot, just abit. I dont believe it can freaze up the pond, maybe just a thin very think top layer.

Dear FishCrazy - Um, yeah i'm trying to convince my family, even if i bring it in i will keep it in my room. I'm currently broke so i dont have the money to buy a 40 gallon tank for them. If i can bring it in i have to keep them in something else. but thanks i will be sure to let it be.

You can use a rubbermaid container with a filter......i would get 2 whisper 40's

that would be around 80 dolllars.....

I live in Washington state and keep my koi and goldfish (Shubunkins included ) outside year 'round. They do just great so long as there is a reasonably large hole in the ice at the top of the pond for gas exchanges. However, it doesn't stay icy here for long... also my pond is pretty large. My boyfriends' moms' pond is small, iced over for about a week, week and 1/2 - fish did fine since she kept a hole in it. So long as they're in good health and fattened up for winter they should be A-okay

@FishCrazy - um thanks, but I can't bring it inside.

@susanh - Thanks I am keeping it outside, thanks for the advice. I think i need to clean it out because during winter i might not be able to. I dont think the water will freeze, we dont get alot of snow and I will have something that will keep the water moving, I dont know if having 1 or 2 heater would or might do any harm to the fish.

Is that your fish in your avatar? When i first got interested into goldfish, i was thinking about getting either a ranchu or oranda! lol because i love how chubby and cute they are, but then i decide to get shubunkin instead because it look abit like a koi. Lol. First I buy one shubunkin, I believe it was a male, but I am not sure, then i went out buying another shubunkin, I was worry that it might be an opposite sex goldfish lol because I am not ready or dont want it to breed yet, and now they live together and none of the 2 fish are pregnant so i thinks it's either both male or both female lol.