they had babies last spring. I feed them food twice a day and they are growing like crazy, I have numerous Aquatic plants. during last winter they stopped eating and stayed on the bottom, so I ceased the food, They seemed fine. At the pet store the other day a fellow pond owner, stated that his fish ate the roots from the plants during the winter but he still fed with pellets. Does anyone have any experience with this situation? My fish are very fat and healthy, On the nice sunny days when I see them on top of the water I do feed them, but other than that I do not. Is this correct. Your assistance is deeply appreciated. Sherrie
Full Version: Over Wintering Goldfish In Pond
I have a aprox. 100gal. pond, here in SC, I use no heater, just a pump with umbrella jet spraying out of center. I started my fish pond 3 years ago with 3 fancy goldfish and now have 7, I don't know which fish layed the eggs because all three got extremely fat thru the stomachs) they had babies last spring. I feed them food twice a day and they are growing like crazy, I have numerous Aquatic plants. during last winter they stopped eating and stayed on the bottom, so I ceased the food, They seemed fine. At the pet store the other day a fellow pond owner, stated that his fish ate the roots from the plants during the winter but he still fed with pellets. Does anyone have any experience with this situation? My fish are very fat and healthy, On the nice sunny days when I see them on top of the water I do feed them, but other than that I do not. Is this correct. Your assistance is deeply appreciated. Sherrie
they had babies last spring. I feed them food twice a day and they are growing like crazy, I have numerous Aquatic plants. during last winter they stopped eating and stayed on the bottom, so I ceased the food, They seemed fine. At the pet store the other day a fellow pond owner, stated that his fish ate the roots from the plants during the winter but he still fed with pellets. Does anyone have any experience with this situation? My fish are very fat and healthy, On the nice sunny days when I see them on top of the water I do feed them, but other than that I do not. Is this correct. Your assistance is deeply appreciated. Sherrie
Its the right thing you did, Sherrie, by not feeding them when its getting colder. Their metabolism slows down during that time, and even though they might beg for food, their body does not digest it all that much, and it can rot inside them, or rot in your pond and take a toll on your water parameters like ammonia/nitrite/nitrate, especially since during that weather the good bio bugs are not that *active* either.
I was at a koi/goldfish show yesterday, and none of the fish there (over 150) had been fed at all or only minimal amounts during the last month or so. And when asked why there was still poop in the tanks, it was explained with the fact that the fish ate the algae off the walls of the pond, and that was their only food. A lot of fish experienced pond owners don't feed their fish at all once temperature hits 60 or 55. It gives the fish a chance to clean itself out, as well as absorb any unlayed eggs in females.
So, my advice would be - keep doing what you are doing! Your fancies seem to be happy with you!
Do you have a filter with your pond?
BTW, I moved your post into the pond section, so there will be even more helpful people with lots of advice there, as well as a general *Preparing your pond for the winter* on top of the pond section!
I was at a koi/goldfish show yesterday, and none of the fish there (over 150) had been fed at all or only minimal amounts during the last month or so. And when asked why there was still poop in the tanks, it was explained with the fact that the fish ate the algae off the walls of the pond, and that was their only food. A lot of fish experienced pond owners don't feed their fish at all once temperature hits 60 or 55. It gives the fish a chance to clean itself out, as well as absorb any unlayed eggs in females.
So, my advice would be - keep doing what you are doing! Your fancies seem to be happy with you!
Do you have a filter with your pond?BTW, I moved your post into the pond section, so there will be even more helpful people with lots of advice there, as well as a general *Preparing your pond for the winter* on top of the pond section!
and thank you for the terrific advice, your answer was just what I was looking for. As for the Filter Question.. I do not have one, I have never had a problem with needing a filtration system, I have plants that cover about 85 o/o of my surface. With this in mind do you still think I may need one? Thanks again.. Sherrie
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.