Pond Fish

[tdileo]

Im curious if anybody here is into keeping pond fish. I live where it gets cold and the surface of the pond can definitely freeze over. I’ll I’ve ever kept were goldfish, koi, and a channel cat, last winter everybody froze so when the spring comes around I’m planning on making some upgrades to the pond and restocking. Just not sure what fish to use..
I was thinking maybe a dozen goldfish as well as 30 or so rosy reds and mosquitofish.
So, any suggestions for stocking with fish, neat inverts, as well as suggestions to make the pond healthier and safer for winter? Of course I’m going to do more looking into equipment upgrades, but I can’t find much on fish that would be suitable.

 

[dwest]

I use a rin

Im curious if anybody here is into keeping pond fish. I live where it gets cold and the surface of the pond can definitely freeze over. I’ll I’ve ever kept were goldfish, koi, and a channel cat, last winter everybody froze so when the spring comes around I’m planning on making some upgrades to the pond and restocking. Just not sure what fish to use..
I was thinking maybe a dozen goldfish as well as 30 or so rosy reds and mosquitofish.
So, any suggestions for stocking with fish, neat inverts, as well as suggestions to make the pond healthier and safer for winter? Of course I’m going to do more looking into equipment upgrades, but I can’t find much on fish that would be suitable.

I use a ring shaped deicer for winter. Keeps gas exchange to the pond.

 

[tdileo]

I use a rin
I use a ring shaped deicer for winter. Keeps gas exchange to the pond.

Always used them in the past. Unfortunately it must have broken last year and I didn’t realize until it was too late.

 

[reef lover]

I have a small pump that is piped to break surface of water and i leave this running all winter. Makes an ice dome with an air hole on top..havent had a problem yet....

 

[Mortie31]

My ponds 5.5’ deep so it will never freeze solid and the water at the bottom will maintain 4C as a minimum, I also cover my pond with triple wall sheeting, which helps keep the temp up, as well, by doing this I can keep my main filters running and just turn my bakki shower filter off. Now we don’t get temps much lower than -10C and this method keeps everything happy, i do have a big inline heater as well jus case it gets stupidly cd for a long period. The sheeting makes it look rubbish for a few months, but I’m not sitting out there and it keeps my koi moving slightly, which in turn helps prevent ulcer and parasite damage..

 

[count krunk]

i built one for my parents. started with 6 fancy goldfish, now there are 11.

make an account here, very friendly folk and very helpful.

https://www.gardenpondforum.com/

 

[Sailingeric]

A small 100 gallon-ish pond that was left by the prior own got me started in fish keeping. Stocked about dozen goldfish. They became tasty treats for the birds. Saved the last couple and put them in a tank. One is left in a 55 gallon in my garage 2 year later, a gold and white fish who is about 6 inches long now.

 

[WV Reefer]

I had a 90 gallon pond and I never did anything special in the winter other than cover with netting to keep the leaves out. The fish, plants and snails were fine in the spring. Never lost a fish to anything other than raccoons.

 

[tdileo]

My ponds 5.5’ deep so it will never freeze solid and the water at the bottom will maintain 4C as a minimum, I also cover my pond with triple wall sheeting, which helps keep the temp up, as well, by doing this I can keep my main filters running and just turn my bakki shower filter off. Now we don’t get temps much lower than -10C and this method keeps everything happy, i do have a big inline heater as well jus case it gets stupidly cd for a long period. The sheeting makes it look rubbish for a few months, but I’m not sitting out there and it keeps my koi moving slightly, which in turn helps prevent ulcer and parasite damage..

The sheeting is a good idea, might have to try that next winter. I would’ve never thought to do that