carla Posted January 25, 2008 Report Share Posted January 25, 2008 After doing some research on wintering ponds with goldfish, I am more confused than ever. Some say the fish cannot stay in the pond, others say they can but need a "breathing hole" in the ice ... Can goldfish (the hardy types like comets etc) survive in the pond once its covered in ice? Anybody from the South please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthony law Posted January 25, 2008 Report Share Posted January 25, 2008 yes they can. just when you get out of bed in the morning break the ice,or just add a big air stone as the water bubbing on the suface it stops the water fezzing over, or set a heater on the lowest setting and just add to the pond it wiil keep that aera open for the fish to get oxygen hope that helps ,ant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilson Posted January 25, 2008 Report Share Posted January 25, 2008 here is an old thread http://www.fnzas.org.nz/fishroom/geting ... 20075.html Clean out rotting vegetation, dead leaves and plants etc. Check and clean out filters. Do not turn them off over winter! Cut back any plants that require it. Remove lilies for overwintering. Check pipework joints and seals as ice can open cracks. Check the pump is going well with no worn parts. Raise it to just below the water surface. The agitation will help stop ice forming and warmer water will stay undisturbed at the bottom. Normally warm air and water rises but in a cold pond the surface water freezes and forms an insulating layer which forces the warmer water to sink. That is why pond fish head for the depths during winter. If the water temp reaches 2C ice crystals will form in the gills, causing them to burst and kill the fish. Cover part of the pond if you can as this will stop the whole surface from freezing so oxygen can still dissolve and carbon dioxide escape. Make sure the cover allows light through or algae and plants will die and pollute the water. If you have a waterfall or fountain it may pay to turn them off as flowing water will chill rapidly and lower the pond temp. Don't feed the fish. Once the temp drops below 10C the fish's digestive systems shut down into semi hibernation mode and they can't process food. Nitrates will build up over winter so make sure you do a water change in the spring. hope thats a help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ianab Posted January 25, 2008 Report Share Posted January 25, 2008 Goldfish will survive under ice for a while. They go into a semi hibernation state in the cold water where they dont eat and their metabolism is slowed. So they can survive cold water for several months without eating. Obviously there is a limit, but if the pond is deep and only iced for a few days they survive. One of my old Goldfish is still alive in a pond at my ex's farm. It has survived -12 freezes in a cow trough and is about 6 years old now. As long as your pond is deep enough the water at the bottom will stay at 4C, and the fish can survive that. Cheers Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted January 25, 2008 Report Share Posted January 25, 2008 You shouldn't break the ice as the noise isn't good for the fish. They will survive happily under ice. If you are worried about oxygen (and they don't need much as they are hibernating at that point) then float a ball or something you can remove each day - leaving an air hole, or pour a little hot water to melt a patch. I have a deck overhanging each end so although the main pond area remained covered, it was not frozen at each end under the decks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilson Posted January 25, 2008 Report Share Posted January 25, 2008 yea a bit of boiling water will melt a small hole fast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted January 25, 2008 Report Share Posted January 25, 2008 The neighbour's cat going through it makes a nice sized hole too (No I didn't shove it in) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OscarBoy Posted January 26, 2008 Report Share Posted January 26, 2008 The neighbour's cat going through it makes a nice sized hole too (No I didn't shove it in) How do we know you didnt Caryl? :lol: I cant belive that the ponds are getting ice tops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilson Posted January 26, 2008 Report Share Posted January 26, 2008 there is a large duck pond in a park near my house that has a creek going into it last winter there was a inch of ice on it at one point Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted January 26, 2008 Report Share Posted January 26, 2008 Caryl wrote: The neighbour's cat going through it makes a nice sized hole too Ah, that wouldn't be the same one that looks at Bud as food :lol: Caper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted January 26, 2008 Report Share Posted January 26, 2008 Well, now that you mention it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted January 26, 2008 Report Share Posted January 26, 2008 I have kept goldfish in an outside pond through winter with it icing up and they were OK. Didn't feed them or break the ice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cichlid7 Posted January 26, 2008 Report Share Posted January 26, 2008 i just keep lots of surface movement and it wont freeze over Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subzer0 Posted February 3, 2008 Report Share Posted February 3, 2008 ican get to minus 7 in central the fish survive.... i like the idea of floating a tennis ball Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim r Posted February 4, 2008 Report Share Posted February 4, 2008 Ice in Northland? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lani Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 I have a question re winter / ponds hoping someone can answer for me. Will White Cloud Mountain Minnow be ok outdoors? Last month set up a container pond, 38L, planted, airline hanging out my kitchen window for the sponge filter - with 3 Sunset minnows, but I am nervous about them surviving. Some info says WCMM live in temps 5-30 deg. [yeah I know they originated from mountain streams] No frosts where I live. Pond facing south, at present getting about 3 hours sunlight but will need to move it to get sun during winter. Any comments from you wonderful quick-witted fishkeepers? :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 I would have thought they would be fine in Auckland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 I have kept them in a pnd that froze over in winter and they were OK. They come originally from waterawys around the White Cloud Mountains in China where it is very cold. They are realy a temperate fish rather than tropical and I have always felt that they look and do better in a pond or at least at cooler temperatures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lani Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 great news alanmin4304, I feel confident about it now. The 3 are growing fast outside, have seen them happily nibbling at the algae on the side of their pond. Spoke to my local LFS owner today & he keeps Sunset Minnows outside ok in a colder area of Auckland. Caryl I love the iced over look! My comet's pond quite regularly has cats fall into it, and has had a dog in too - its only about 1m wide x 1.3 long x 40cm deep & I will soon be using the aquapro magic pond sucker to desludge it from 10 yrs+ sludge. I hear these little suckers are effective.There was spawning happening 2 weeks ago, so am delaying it . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scuba Sam Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 You guys are bringing back memories of my childhood in Timaru - certainly NO ice on the ponds up here!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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