Heating outside fish pond with gold fish

[chukwe]

Hi All,

I moved into a house 6 months ago and inherited an outside fish pond with gold fish inside. I don't have any experience of maintaining a fish pond.

Now that it's snowing and freezing, does freezing temperatures affect gold fish? If so, how and what equipment can I get to warm up the fish pond?

[speedyman]

Here,s a clue. How do you think the fish survive in the rivers and lakes ?

[Getragdogleg]

They normally fly south for winter.

Get a hot tub to put them in.

[RichB]

chukwe said:

Hi All,

I moved into a house 6 months ago and inherited an outside fish pond with gold fish inside. I don't have any experience of maintaining a fish pond. Now that it's snowing and freezing, does freezing temperatures affect gold fish? If so, how and what equipment can I get to warm up the fish pond?

How big is the pond? How deep is it? Whereabouts in the country are you? If it's 3'-4' deep they will survive fine, if it's a small shallow type affair, yes they may suffer after a few days if the surface is frozen over...

ETA, it's not that they need oxygen, H2O always has oxygen, by definition, but with the surface frozen over the toxins cannot escape so the fish get poisoned.

Also, water is very interesting, despite us thinking that heat rises the opposite occurs in water and the bottom of the lake is slightly warmer and remains at 4 degC, this is why the fish go to the deepest parts of the lake.

Edited by RichB on Monday 8th February 20:22

[LocoBlade]

I can see where this thread is going

Serious answer, as long as it doesn't freeze solid or the ice is so thick it leaves them with minimal water to swim and get oxygen from, they'll be fine.

[Ace-T]

If it is in the ground, the top will freeze and the fish will head to the bottom. If it's been done properly it will be over 2 and a half feet deep to give the fish somewhere to go.

Ponds will freeze over, don't smash the ice, get a bowl with warm water and place it on top, it will melt the ice without causing shock to the fish. Dont pour the hot water in.

https://www.pond-planet.co.uk/blog/pond-care-in-wi...

[Simpo Two]

Depth is the answer. How deep is it?

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Ace-T said:

If it is in the ground, the top will freeze and the fish will head to the bottom. If it's been done properly it will be over 2 and a half feet deep to give the fish somewhere to go.

Ponds will freeze over, don't smash the ice, get a bowl with warm water and place it on top, it will melt the ice without causing shock to the fish. Dont pour the hot water in.

Place a half deflated ball on the surface of the pond. When the pond freezes, grab the bit of the ball above the ice and pull it out, leaving a hole in the ice. As said, trying to break a hole by hitting the surface is the wrong thing to do, as it increases the pressure in the pond which can harm the fish and other stuff living in the pond. But pulling a ball upwards and out of the pond won't do that, so is safe. And easier than hot water bowl to melt a hole.

[55palfers]

Float a couple of cheap plastic footballs on the pond to stop it freezing completely.

Goldfish will be fine.

[RichB]

Simpo Two said:

Depth is the answer. How deep is it?

I asked this and what size the pond is but the OP has not been back. It's the first question.

[rev-erend]

You can buy a small floating pond heater. It just keeps a small patch free of ice.

Koi keepers have been known to fully cover and insulate and heat a pond through the winter but it is expensive to build and run.

[sociopath]

You can't heat a pond with gold fish, their heating coils are too weak.

[thebraketester]

Throw a couple or three kettles of boiling water in there before you go to bed.

[DonkeyApple]

rev-erend said:

You can buy a small floating pond heater. It just keeps a small patch free of ice.

Koi keepers have been known to fully cover and insulate and heat a pond through the winter but it is expensive to build and run.

Yup. Koi suffer quickly from the drop in oxygen when it freezes over. I lost five the first year I inherited a pond with 7 koi. gold fish are much more resilient.

I tend to pour a kettle of water on when it freezes now and then lift out some bits.

[Condi]

When it gets cold throw the toaster in and wait for it to warm up.

[glennjamin]

Wet suits might be an idea. Or could move them indoors for winter..

[chukwe]

RichB said:

How big is the pond? How deep is it? Whereabouts in the country are you? If it's 3'-4' deep they will survive fine, if it's a small shallow type affair, yes they may suffer after a few days if the surface is frozen over...

ETA, it's not that they need oxygen, H2O always has oxygen, by definition, but with the surface frozen over the toxins cannot escape so the fish get poisoned.

Also, water is very interesting, despite us thinking that heat rises the opposite occurs in water and the bottom of the lake is slightly warmer and remains at 4 degC, this is why the fish go to the deepest parts of the lake.

Edited by RichB on Monday 8th February 20:22

I think it's around 3 feet deep but haven't measured it so far. I'll try and take some picture of it tomorrow morning

[Boosted LS1]

I've koi in my pond and for 10 years have left them to get on with it. I feed them and clean the filters twice a year. They're tough as old boots. They're only goldfish imo.

[Fatboy]

sociopath said:

You can't heat a pond with gold fish, their heating coils are too weak.

Yes, you need to add a couple of seals, being warm blooded they'll raise the temperature better than the goldfish.

[rev-erend]

A small heater like this .. nothing complicated or expensive:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Superfish-Pond-Heater-1...