I stopped feeding the pond goldfish a week ago after the first frost. Since then it has got warmer and fish have risen to the top of the pond. Should I resume feeding or leave it till Spring. Also Ive taken the pump and filter out as I have been told its safe to do so in Winter. Any advice welcomed

On Thu, 22 Dec 2011 09:23:46 EST, David Wright
wrote:


I stopped feeding the pond goldfish a week ago after the first frost.
Since then it has got warmer and fish have risen to the top of the pond.
Should I resume feeding or leave it till Spring. Also Ive taken the pump
and filter out as I have been told its safe to do so in Winter. Any
advice welcomed

I know all of us get into this hobby to keep fish, when it really is a
"keep water" hobby. Anything you feed the fish is normally to feed the
filter to keep all things (bacteria, plants, fish) fed and the water at its
best. My fish go from end of Oct till March/April w/o being fed, so your
fish do not need to be fed.... and even though it has warmed it, it could
go cold very soon during this time of year. If they're truly hungry they'll
munch on the algae along the sides and the occassional gnat or worm that
falls in.

On the koi pond I have the filter running all winter with a slower moving
pump. HTHs, ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

On 12/23/2011 3:42 AM, ~ jan wrote:
On Thu, 22 Dec 2011 09:23:46 EST, David Wright
wrote:


I stopped feeding the pond goldfish a week ago after the first frost.
Since then it has got warmer and fish have risen to the top of the pond.
Should I resume feeding or leave it till Spring. Also Ive taken the pump
and filter out as I have been told its safe to do so in Winter. Any
advice welcomed

I know all of us get into this hobby to keep fish, when it really is a
"keep water" hobby. Anything you feed the fish is normally to feed the
filter to keep all things (bacteria, plants, fish) fed and the water at its
best. My fish go from end of Oct till March/April w/o being fed, so your
fish do not need to be fed.... and even though it has warmed it, it could
go cold very soon during this time of year. If they're truly hungry they'll
munch on the algae along the sides and the occassional gnat or worm that
falls in.

On the koi pond I have the filter running all winter with a slower moving
pump. HTHs, ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

What size pond do you have? What kind of filter?

Like ~jan I leave my pump running all winter long through my
bio-filter/falls. If I were to turn it off all of the bacteria in my
filter would die. I'm guessing that you start every spring with a
healthy dose of pea soup colored water while your filter's bacteria gets
re-populated.

On Sat, 3 Mar 2012 07:25:07 EST, wrote:

I just went to look at koipen whatever and I guess I dont know how to use those type
of online blogs whatever. I would hate to lose this group.

INgrid

Koiphen was a learning curve for me too. Unlike rec.ponds where one could
individualize one's news reader, one is stuck with how the website works.
Also, there is no way I can read everyone's post and remember where I was
when I come back. So I have to pick and chose.

I'm not even sure if I had the time, like when I wasn't working, if I could
keep up (or would want to). I know for one thing, I do not post in the
upper-end-koi threads, some of those folks are well.... just too elite for
me, more ego than manners. Had I the time, money and energy, I too could
cultivate such an ego, but would I? If nothing else, would be fun to see...
time + money = energy, right? ;-) ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us