Hello,

I have two comets that are going to move to a pond. The pond is an indoor pond, about 100 gallons, there are live plants in the pond and no other fishies, they will be the first. I promised the new owner of the comets that I would help her to care for them and teach her how to keep them alive. But first, I have to learn!

Can anyone help me understand the dynamics of caring for goldies in a pond?

Hmm I don't really know either, I am eager to make an outdoor pond, but when this harsh winter is over! (it was an awesome snow day today! )

Hi Trico -

Now that I know there is a pond section I'm learning lots and lots. I have been unable to find out if it's OK to have comets in a pond...I know I've seen ponds with comet-like gf in them...anyone?

comets r perfect fish for ponds, if u read through some of the topics here u will find alot of info on how to care for them

Comets are safe in a pond, as long as predators and such don't touch em. Comets moreover fancys as fancies can be slow moving from such predators. Um, yea comets are perfectly safe in ponds and good luck!Oh yea, comets can even survive up to freezing temps in the winter too!

oh yeah, comets can do fine in ponds. Their great pond fish and can grow quite large. I know there's lots of member here who have them in ponds, i do too since this is an indoor pond, i think it alot safer than the outdoor ones, well except if there cats around lol.

keeping fish in ponds are alot like keeping fish in tanks, except that the water will be really easy to keep. You will still need filtration though and you can feed them all the food you would normally feed tank goldies

100 gallons is a really small pond your going to have to maintain it just like an aquarium. Comets are also great pond fish and can live in ponds that freeze over in the winter. I keep comets in my pond year around in wisconsin. Comets can grow big. My comets are over 16 inches long.

Do koi need 1000 gallons each?

koi can grow more than 3 feet long so they do need a lot of space.

Oh wow! Never knew they got that big

Actually there was thread about a 4 feet koi. Koi release great deal of waste and can live very long, the oldest koi known to live up to 200 years old even though the average is to be 30 years. Small pond or tank will be much harder to maintain the great water condition.

Wow...fish survive the winter in a frozen pond? Do they freeze too or are they alive and moving around under the ice? How do they eat?

Their alive and moving around under the ice. In cold winter tempatures their metabalism slows down so they eat very little.

The pond can not freeze solid and can only be froze on top for a short time. Gases can build up under the ice. I use a stock tank heater in my ponds when the temps do not get above freezing for more than a few days. I do not keep the heaters running all the time because I want the fish to go dormate. Do not feed the fish in the winter as they can not digest food and it will rot in their stomachs. Also, keeping a pump running year round keeps the top from freezing solid if it does not get too cold.

Keeping a 100 gallon pond inside should be just like an tank.

The problem with this is that moving water within the pond can supercool. The water never gets the chance to settle into layers in the winter. Moving water is continually exposed to the super cold surface and supercools the pond. It actually produces colder water for the fish.

The best thing is to install a good pond de-icer with a thermostat to keep a SINGLE hole open in the ice for oxygen exchange. Ice on the surface will actually act as insulator for the pond and keep the water a little warmer. Disconnect the pump and stop feeding until spring when temps get to 50 degrees. With no food in the system there will be no waste production or need for moving water.