Help, A little Worried About My Babies

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The weather in Buffalo has been very sperratic lately

Right know it's 11 deg F outside and my goldies and shubuckins are hovering around the heater and are quite active if I get near them. What gives? I thought being cold blooded they wouldn't feel the need to hover around a heater.

The 2 Koi are at the bottom under some rocks and could care less about a heater and warmer water temps.

I guess I'm alittle worried about the goldies wanting/needing the warmth of a heater. Will they be OK?

David
 

addy1

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The weather in Buffalo has been very sperratic lately

Right know it's 11 deg F outside and my goldies and shubuckins are hovering around the heater and are quite active if I get near them. What gives? I thought being cold blooded they wouldn't feel the need to hover around a heater.

The 2 Koi are at the bottom under some rocks and could care less about a heater and warmer water temps.

I guess I'm alittle worried about the goldies wanting/needing the warmth of a heater. Will they be OK?

David

My goldies and shubies have no heater, the water is around 35 or so, part of it is starting to freeze. The aerator is keeping half the pond open (lots of air flow).
I do notice them hanging out right under the liner when the sun is out, that water does warm up a tiny bit.

Your fish will be fine. Right now mine are all deep in the pond near the bottom. Getting some darn interference on the camera, need to mess with it tomorrow to darn cold right now and dark. We are at 22 with a 14 chill factor. They are motionless, every now and then see one move just a little.
 

taherrmann4

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If you were a fish in a pond and there was a heater in it wouldn't you too hang out where it is warm even though you could easily survive the colder temps?
 

j.w

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I'm thinking along w/ tmann on this one! Warmth or cold?.......................I would choose warm and so would the fishies!
 

addy1

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If you were a fish in a pond and there was a heater in it wouldn't you too hang out where it is warm even though you could easily survive the colder temps?

I sure would no question about that one.
 

sissy

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This is the first year I have had a pond heater and had to turn off one filter after wind chills dropped the temp. down to 20 degrees .I put the pond heater in and my fantails seem to be hanging around it and my other fish are near the bottom of the pond .I never used a heater in all the years I have had my pond and after last winter decided to try one out .So your fish that are up near are just smarter than the others .
 

fishin4cars

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I've noticed over the years that goldfish seem to seek out heat and koi seem to seek out hiding spots when the water starts getting really cold. It makes sense that they would seek out the warmer water. I think also it may have some to do with actual body fat that the fish store. Koi seem to store and put on more body fat then goldfish do. In the spring it's almost certain when the fish are mixed that the goldfish will spawn first and the koi later. I feel like there is a relationship between them as well for this as the Koi take longer to burn up the stored body fat there fore take longer for the production of the eggs. Goldfish use there stored body fat quicker and therefore produce eggs and spawn sooner.
Keep a hole in the ice all the time, don't feed, and monitor water quality closely when the water starts warming and all the fish should be fine for the coming months.
 
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Thanks for the reply everyone

Sure we all like heat but we are warm blooded creatures. I was just surprized by this.

fishin4cars make alot of scence.

Thanks again,

David
 

sissy

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I use all natural garlic in there food in the spring to help them feed better .I always start with the spring food .We seem to be getting warm weather again .Just keep an opening and you will have nothing to worry about .
 

Mmathis

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I'm worried about my box turtles, too! For the most part, they're dug in & secure -- safe from excess rain & freezing temps. But now & then I'll find where one or 2 of the little buggers must have dug itself out [of hibernation] during a warmer-than-usual day, then was too sluggish to re-bury in a safe spot before it got cold again. Moved one yesterday and one today. These 20's to 30's something nights and 60's to 70's days are just not healthy!
 

fishin4cars

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They really should be fine since they are from your geographic area. But for precaution do you have a heated spot for them to get to if it gets really cold. All my turtles but the musk are inside for the winter here. I got a cheap ceramic light fixture that has the aluminum hood. Hung it about 18" above where the tortoise can walk below it. he sleeps there more than his cave but moves back and forth. It was fairly cheap to make and I use a 100 heat bulb. The turtles will find the heat, but if they are digging out this may give some extra for "Just in case" I would install it in a small house or similar structure to help retain the heat and not allow rain water or dew to get into the wiring as they aren't water proof.
 
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I have heard that unless a goldfish experiences the cold of winter it's reproductive abilities won't be as strong in the Spring. This would explain why aquarium goldfish don't show the same spawning behavior as pond fish. I wonder if the heater would disrupt their cycle? I had a heater/deicer a few years ago and took it out when they all hung around it. it didn't seem natural.
 

HARO

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Watonai Keith; If you had to spend your life in an 8'x8' room, I doubt your spawning urge would be all that great either!! I think that the added exercise a goldfish gets in a pond gives it far better muscle tone, and probably "mental" condition, if you know what I mean, so pond fish spawn more often and more readily than those kept in aquaria. I assume you still have your watonai?
John
 

Mmathis

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FISHIN - I have lots of areas in their habitat that are on the high side where they can dig and stay above any standing water. The water issue worries me most, 'cause when we DO get those freezing temps. any water will freeze. I built them a nice, covered "worm bed," hoping they would brumate in there. Go figure!

COMETKEITH - Interesting about fish & the cold. They say that turtles (well, boxies, anyway) need to "hibernate," or their reproductive cycles are messed up. Never thought about fish, but it makes sense that there could be a factor there.
 

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