My husband has agreed to dig me a pond when we buy a house this fall. Hopefully by spring next year it will be up and running and ready for fish. My question is, can fancies be overwintered in a pond? I live in central New Mexico so our winters are pretty mild, maybe one snow all winter and the ground usually isn't cold enough for the snow to even stick. I have the goldfish bug

It sounds like they'd be fine. I know a few people who keep fancies in ponds, and we live in Pennsylvania where the pond sometimes freezes over. I'd love to have a pond full of goldfish, but I need a house first.

Might want to cover and throw a heater in. I cannot overwinter fancies here. Water temp is down to 38 in winter.

That is the key..what does your water temp go down to in winter.

I'm not really sure what the water temperature gets down to. I'll have to find somebody with a pond or I have a friend who's a landscape architect who should know. I've heard it should never get below 50 for fancies. Is that right? I'm betting I could probably talk my husband into a heater and a cover though, as long as I let him get a driving net so he can practice his golf swing in the yard.

The temperature of your pond will depend on where you live (how cold it gets in the winter), the depth/size of your pond and the exposure of cirulating water to the cold air. Personally, I wouldn't want the water temp of my fancies to go below 60. In fact, some of my big-bellied fish have shown signs of stress when the temp gets down to 65. Heaters can get expensive. Plastic greenhouse type covers are really good.

I have my ranchu, oranda and ryukin out in an above ground pond, and the water temperature dropped down to somewhere around 40, with the fish being just fine out there. Although the air temperature might be colder, the water usually stays warmer, especially if you shut off the filter or pump system not to introduce the cooler air to the pond water.

I have some fancies in my pond but they come in for the winter. It gets way to cold for them in central NY (not counting the 200 inches of snow). All the other fish spend all their time outside.

I want a pond, but don't get one cause
A) College student.
B) I live 2 hours north of you, so it is even worse
Your pond looks amazing. Next time I am in Syracuse I will be looking for this pond haha, so if u see a 20 year old male drooling by your pond...it is me hahaha

Awww, thanks. I really need to get some new pictures once I get everything blooming and flowering this year.

Check out www.raingarden.us . The excellent Steve Hopkins breeds a goldfish called watonai that is a hardy cross between a ryukin and a wakin. I have some pictures on my blog. There are also some fantails that are bred for outdoors available at some pond stores.

I am glad to hear it's doable, although now I have my hands full with plenty of research. My husband also thinks an indoor pond would be a nice idea. We have a contracter friend who would be willing to reinforce the floor and my husband thinks it would be nice to put in a preform pond and then build some seating around it so we can sit and watch the fish. I think we should do both.

if you get an indoor pond ...i'm moving in !!!!! ..I wish my husband would think of these things ...whats your secret!!!

You could do a combination indoor/outdoor pond. I saw one at a pond/water garden store: the pond was under an attached greenhouse (like a sun room) outside, and a narrow section passed through the wall into the shop. That would involve some serious renovations to install...

Can I vote for the 2008 Kokos Celebration party to be at your house?
Better make sure u put in a lot of seats

Fancies can stay outside all year it's just they have a harder time dealing with temps that rise and decrease often. Here in Fla my water temp not air.. was 50 at night 70 in the day.. they did Ok but stressed alot. if you can provide a heater in the winter and keep them in the 60's during the winter they will be safer.

Somehow he actually came up with the idea when we started talking about ponds. He really enjoys our fish, he just doesn't want to do any of the upkeep. I put up with his very expensive golf and video game habits so I guess he kind of has to support my goldfish obsession.