Cold weather and Fancy Goldfish

[j.w]

I just noticed the thanks button. Is it there just to thank someone for anything or is it something special. Anyway I'm gonna use it to thank Rich for trying to keep the peace if that's ok

 

[stroppy]

I just noticed the thanks button. Is it there just to thank someone for anything or is it something special. Anyway I'm gonna use it to thank Rich for trying to keep the peace if that's ok :lol:

ill second that jw

 

[Pondmaster]

Well I'm certainly not a pro, in fact I was going to choose the name Pondscum but it was already taken by someone so on a whim I choose Pondmaster and kind of regret it ever since. There are so many more qualified such as my friends Digginponds and Will.

 

[Steve knight]

I'm not recommending that you do what I did the last two winters, but I used a 300 watt submersible aquarium heater in my skimmer/pre-filter next to the intake of the water pump. The last two winters I had no ice on my pond. Even on those nights when the temps dropped down into the teens, the water temps stayed just above freezing. Bear in mind, my pond is only 365 gallons.

I was thinking of doing the same thing on my 160 gal box pond on my porch. I made it with airspace between the outside and the liner but still like the idea of a heater. I will put it on one of those switches that turn on when temps get close to freezing then turns off when the temps go up.

 

[stroppy]

digginponds does have a point in it could be wrong to suggest because there climate is warmer that others could keep there fancy fish outside all winter, to be fair fancy goldfish dont do well in freezing waters, as far as im aware most take them indoors in the winter

 

[DrDave]

Those switches are called "Thermostats".

 

[okiee]

In central Okla. we average around 25 at night and 36 during the day during Dec.to Jan. but Im no weather girl or fish expert but this is Oklahoma and if you don't like the weather just wait 5 minutes and it will change! My fancies have experienced small tornados softball size hail blizzards and ice storms and are doing just fine.

 

[digginponds]

digginponds does have a point in it could be wrong to suggest because there climate is warmer that others could keep there fancy fish outside all winter, to be fair fancy goldfish dont do well in freezing waters, as far as im aware most take them indoors in the winter

•Fantail Goldfish
•Veiltail Goldfish
•Celestial Goldfish
•Bubble-Eye Goldfish
•Calico Goldfish
•Butterfly Tail Goldfish
•Jikin Goldfish
•Telescope-Eye Goldfish
•Ranchu Goldfish
•Moor Goldfish
•Oranda Goldfish
•Lionhead Goldfish
•Lionchu Goldfish
•Pearlscale Goldfish
•Ryukin Goldfish
•Wakin Goldfish
•Pom-Pon Goldfish

do well in temps around 65-75 .They do poorly in temps that drop below that.Alot of people suggest to only keep these fish outdoors during the warm months.Also some people report that these fish actually have a hard time trying to eat with a SINGLE TAIL common,comet or koi due to poor body movement.
I use to live in North Carolina,so I know the winter months are not as hard on a fish as it is in zone 4.
So on that note I'm sorry for my outburst, BUT between trying to winterize customers ponds,and back and forth to see my wife in the hospital,I'm somewhat stressed OUT!

 

[Pondmaster]

We all have our moments Diggin "He who is without an occasional outburst cast the first stone" Prayers please for Diggin's wife and the rest of his family.

 

[stroppy]

hope your wife is feeling better soon diggin

 

[Christy]

I have a friend that has Wakins,Fantails Goldfish and they do fine outside in the winter in zone 6 ,but she puts plastic on the ponds.

 

[DrDave]

Plastic will help retain some heat in the pond. This would be an interesting experiment if someone has 2 ponds and an accurate way of measuring both during the cold months.

 

[shakaho]

Wakins, jikin, and watonai are pond fish, in spite of their different tails. They can be mixed in a pond with commons, comets, and shubunkins. Here's what a leading producer (Rain Garden) has to say about fantails in ponds:

"In a sense, fantails and ribbontail are intermediate between the hardy varieties like hibuna or wakin, and the fancy varieties like oranda, telescopes or ranchu. The ribbontail, in particular, are nearly as tough as the hardy varieties and can fend for themselves with little care in a water garden or tub. They can also be mixed with hardy varieties or mixed with fancy varieties without problem."

http://www.raingarden.us/goldfish-fantail.htm

I've heard mixed reports on mixing fantails in ponds with faster fish. As for the more deformed fancies, the greater the number and severity of the deformities, the weaker the fish. They can be kept in ponds with similarly disabled fish in warm weather.

 

[shakaho]

Here's a possibility for those who want to keep a small pond warm:

http://www.greenhousemegastore.com/Farmhouse/productinfo/HG-FHFH/

It's not likely to hold up to heavy snow, but it might work in more moderate climates.

 

[Christy]

I have covered my ponds for the last two years and it DOES not freeze,not even a thin layer of ice on it. I build mine frame out of 2x4's, but you do have to sweep the snow off of the plastic..