Turtles/koi in the winter

[Gerk]

I have two turtles and 6 koi in a 2 and a half foot deep pond, 13 foot by 8 foot.
It's starting to get very cold here in Ireland.

Will the turtle and koi be ok in this water for the winter????

If not, any suggestions please?

 

[fishin4cars]

It will depend on how cold it gets there and how much the water freezes. I could get away with it but my low temps are usually in the upper twenties or higher and very seldom do we get a complete freeze over. 2 1/2 feet is a shallow pond and if your expecting temps to get cold enough for a solid freeze it's probably best you bring them inside.

 

[Gerk]

Is there any type of water heater I can get?

 

[addy1]

A stock tank heater, they sale them here, not sure about ireland

 

[j.w]

I'm thinking the koi will do better than the turtle out in the cold. I'd bring the turtle inside and put him in your bathtub just to be safe if it's a water turtle. My friend up the road does that w/ her red eared sliders. She's got a spare tub.

 

[HARO]

Gerk; what kind of turtle are we talking here?
John

 

[Mmathis]

GERK -- I have box turtles (not aquatics) and someone else here has red-eared sliders (semi-aquatics). Both type of turtle will "hibernate" during the winter months: boxies dig down into the soil and I think the semi-aquatics stay in the water(?). BUT, neither should be allowed to freeze. To be safe, I would say take them (turtles) inside. Also, might want to research the best way to winterize whatever kind you have just in case they have any species-specific needs.

 

[mouseams]

I am in norther New Jersey, US- from a koi keeper near me, use a bubble stone or two. No heater. The only winter in 20 years he tried a heater he lost fish. I have had two winter, both were pretty harsh for our neck of the woods and used the bubble stone and "KIC" keep it clear method and have had first year small fry goldies/shubbies and small koi survive. If the pond ices over, you must clear the opening. Gasses build up and kill the fish. Last year tadpoles survived.

 

[Waterbug]

Yeah, I also would think it would depend on the species of turtle.

I didn't think Ireland got much in the way of hard, long term, freezes. Koi will certainly be able to handle ice for short periods. If you were to add a heater thinking 40F was too cold, and instead kept the water in the 45-50F range you would be keeping aeromonas bacteria going while shutting down the Koi's immune system. Most people try to avoid that. I assume Ireland has aeromonas bacteria and if not, other harmful bacteria.

I would also be a bit wary about being overly concerned with keeping an open in the ice. There are down sides to this. Keeping an opening drops the water temperature. If you're looking at weeks or months of ice then gas exchange might be a larger risk than the lower water temp. Has to be each ponder's call.