Do fish grow over winter ?

Now that the pond has finally thawed and the fish are starting to get
their mobility back , I have noticed that they are considerably bigger
than before the snow started to fall.

How can this be when I didn't feed them and they basically went into
hibernation mode ?

©anadian Ponder wrote:

> Now that the pond has finally thawed and the fish are starting to get
> their mobility back , I have noticed that they are considerably bigger
> than before the snow started to fall.
>
> How can this be when I didn't feed them and they basically went into
> hibernation mode ?

I would suggest that it is more likely that in fall, when there was
more "green" (either suspended algae or growing plants) in the pond, the
bigger fish were able to hide better. Now that the ponds clearer, they
can't hide. I've had large koi completely disappear for months after herons
appear.
--
derek

I know mine did - I had 2 koi the one winter, one yellow and the other
speckled - they both grew from 4" to 6" over the freeze
Gale - Another Canuck :~)
"©anadian Ponder" <" "@greatnowhere.com> wrote in message
news:460804c1$0$21941$ .com...
> Now that the pond has finally thawed and the fish are starting to get
> their mobility back , I have noticed that they are considerably bigger
> than before the snow started to fall.
>
> How can this be when I didn't feed them and they basically went into
> hibernation mode ?
>

On Mon, 26 Mar 2007 12:42:06 CST, ©anadian Ponder <" "@greatnowhere.com>
wrote:

>Now that the pond has finally thawed and the fish are starting to get
>their mobility back , I have noticed that they are considerably bigger
>than before the snow started to fall.
>
>How can this be when I didn't feed them and they basically went into
>hibernation mode ?

I've heard this before.

One of our more koi kichi members actually weighted his koi in the fall and
again in the spring and found that they didn't loose any weight over the
long winter. (Man, would that be depressing to me if after not eating all
winter I was still pre-diet weight. ;-) ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State

"©anadian Ponder" <" "@greatnowhere.com> wrote in message
news:460804c1$0$21941$ .com...
> Now that the pond has finally thawed and the fish are starting to get
> their mobility back , I have noticed that they are considerably bigger
> than before the snow started to fall.
>
> How can this be when I didn't feed them and they basically went into
> hibernation mode ?
============================
Perhaps the extra fat and other nutrients they stored for winter allowed for
the growth. Mine also seem larger in the spring but I thought it was my
imagination.
--
RM....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
Zone 6. USA
~~~~ }<((((*> ~~~ }<{{{{(ö>

> One of our more koi kichi members actually weighted his koi in the fall and
> again in the spring and found that they didn't loose any weight over the
> long winter.

Assuming they used some energy in the winter, that suggests they were
eating algae or something. Do you know if that ponder also measured
the koi when he weighed them?

Jim

~ jan wrote:

> On Mon, 26 Mar 2007 12:42:06 CST, ©anadian Ponder <" "@greatnowhere.com>
> wrote:
>
>>Now that the pond has finally thawed and the fish are starting to get
>>their mobility back , I have noticed that they are considerably bigger
>>than before the snow started to fall.
>>
>>How can this be when I didn't feed them and they basically went into
>>hibernation mode ?
>
> I've heard this before.
>
> One of our more koi kichi members actually weighted his koi in the fall
> and again in the spring and found that they didn't loose any weight over
> the long winter. (Man, would that be depressing to me if after not eating
> all winter I was still pre-diet weight. ;-) ~ jan

Different situation, though. You'd still be metabolizing over the winter,
whereas the fishes are slowed way down. I don't know that they _don't_ eat,
over the winter, I expect they do graze a little, but they don't move or
respire much, either.
--
derek

On Mar 26, 1:42 pm, ©anadian Ponder <" "@greatnowhere.com> wrote:
> Now that thepondhas finally thawed and the fish are starting to get
> their mobility back , I have noticed that they are considerably bigger
> than before the snow started to fall.
>
> How can this be when I didn't feed them and they basically went into
> hibernation mode ?

It depends on the fish age. like a teenager going in a growth spurt.
teenagers actually grow in their sleep faster then when awake. while
fish are not active during the winter it gives their cells time to do
other things like grow.

Pete
http://www.relaxingdecor.com

On Tue, 27 Mar 2007 04:58:29 CST, "Phyllis and Jim"
<> wrote:

>Assuming they used some energy in the winter, that suggests they were
>eating algae or something. Do you know if that ponder also measured
>the koi when he weighed them?
>Jim

Knowing him, he probably did, but didn't mention any changes. I'll have to
ask next time the topic comes up. ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State

On Tue, 27 Mar 2007 08:13:35 CST, Derek Broughton <>
wrote:

>Different situation, though. You'd still be metabolizing over the winter.

No.... I really don't believe I metabolize at all, in fact, I think it is a
proven fact women over 40 don't metabolize and that's why we have a harder
time loosing weight than men. ;-) ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State