Can't see fish

[Sunshine]

Does anyone else get sad, anxious, nervous when they can't see their fish for long periods of time? We are in a deep freeze and a lot of snowfall right now. I haven't seen my Gracie in awhile and I always get nervous. Is she Okay .. does she know that she will see me again .. does she like being in the dark. UGH .. So ready for this cold spell to end. All the fish stay on the side that is covered with snow. My trough heater didn't work, I ordered a new one, but it hasn't come yet. So far the waterfall is keeping a hole open. The snow is pretty tho.

 

[JamieB]

Your Gracie is sleeping. She’s enjoying a long safe nap, maybe waking a little to swim to a better spot, or look for a nibble of algae, but mostly just sleeping. You’ll see her soon, and if you really are anxious, you could try an underwater camera like Addy1 uses.

 

[addy1]

Mine all just float around, nibble a bit. Even once the pond is running it takes them a while to venture out of the deep and swim again.

 

[Sunshine]

Your Gracie is sleeping. She’s enjoying a long safe nap, maybe waking a little to swim to a better spot, or look for a nibble of algae, but mostly just sleeping. You’ll see her soon, and if you really are anxious, you could try an underwater camera like Addy1 uses.

Now that is an awesome idea. I am going to look into an underwater camera for next year.

 

[Sunshine]

Mine all just float around, nibble a bit. Even once the pond is running it takes them a while to venture out of the deep and swim again.

Every year when it thaws out when I'm standing on the edge of the pond, she will slowly make her way up to the surface. I have a pic of her when I got her 2007. So she is going to be 14 this year. Moving as slow as I am

 

[Mmathis]

Yes, I think we all worry about our babies when we can’t see them. For me, it’s my box turtles. Mine are kept outside, and I mimic their natural habitat as closely as possible. They start to brumate (the reptile version of hibernate) here in late October/November. They dig down in the substrate and stay there until the weather warms up in spring (anywhere from March to April). I have no idea WHERE inside the habitat each one will choose to burrow down, so there’s no way to check on them (short of digging everything up, which is totally unnecessary). I hold my breath for 4-5 months, not knowing if I will see them again in spring. The key is making sure they are in optimum health prior to the time they start to brumate.

 

[poconojoe]

Don't worry. It's perfectly natural, as you probably already know. We humans just get a little anxious sometimes.

The only things I worry about this time of year is the loss of electricity and a leak that can cause water loss.
I try to go out there daily or spy from my second floor to check those things.

A submersible camera would be really nice, but every one of them I looked at were too expensive for my budget and I don't want to waste money on a cheap one that will be inferior.
Maybe someone here can suggest a decent model that won't break the bank.

This February has been a bad weather month for a lot of us. We haven't gotten this much snow in quite a while.
Hang in there...March will be here soon and then April!

 

[Sunshine]

Don't worry. It's perfectly natural, as you probably already know. We humans just get a little anxious sometimes.

The only things I worry about this time of year is the loss of electricity and a leak that can cause water loss.

We did buy a generator a few years ago. Not big enough for our furnace, but enough most everything else. At least the greenhouse will be warm and the fish will have an open hole.

 

[poconojoe]

We did buy a generator a few years ago. Not big enough for our furnace, but enough most everything else. At least the greenhouse will be warm and the fish will have an open hole.

Ah! So you have your pond covered with a greenhouse? That's awesome I'm sure it helps keep the temperature up for the pond.

Yeah, I have a portable generator that I plug into the side of the house. It connects to my circuit breaker panel via a 6 circuit manual transfer switch. It too is limited as far as wattage. My heating system is oil fired hot water baseboard, so it doesn't draw a whole lot of power. Just a few circulator pumps and minimal power to fire the oil gun and low voltage circuitry.
My little 3600 watt generator does fine. A few lights, refrigerator, and oil burner and I'm good. A lot of people around here have electric heat. You need a big generator for that draw.

 

[mrsclem]

Now that is an awesome idea. I am going to look into an underwater camera for next year.

Amazon has several available. Barlus is a good brand, I have 2 from Advanced Security but they are no longer listed.

 

[Sunshine]

Ah! So you have your pond covered with a greenhouse?

Oh no, the greenhouse is separate. It was made because I have plant eating cats. That would be awesome tho!

 

[snoozer]

we have so much snow that you can't tell there is a pond in the yard

 

[poconojoe]

Oh no, the greenhouse is separate. It was made because I have plant eating cats. That would be awesome tho!

Oh, too bad!
There are members here that have erected elaborate homemade greenhouses and they no longer get ice on their pond.

 

[poconojoe]

we have so much snow that you can't tell there is a pond in the yard

I'm with you...unfortunately!
For a while, all could see was a small opening where the deicer and fountain are. The rest was completely covered with the white stuff, even the bog.
We had 3 feet come down, then a few 6 inch events.
I had to snowblow paths throughout my yard for the dogs. The snow was way too deep for them, and they're not small dogs.

 

[snoozer]

I'm with you...unfortunately!
For a while, all could see was a small opening where the deicer and fountain are. The rest was completely covered with the white stuff, even the bog.
We had 3 feet come down, then a few 6 inch events.
I had to snowblow paths throughout my yard for the dogs. The snow was way too deep for them, and they're not small dogs.

I can see two small indentations which should be the top of the pond breathers and can hear the aerators humming along in their bins but the pond is under at least 2 foot of snow. I also clear a path for the dogs and a large circle for them to do their business. We haven't had snow cover like this for quite a while.