Koi have awakened... early

[island_pondscum]

Hi all, I have a pond in the Seattle area. We had a run of 50 degree days last week and this morning I discovered one of my koi swimming around, albeit slowly and toward the bottom.

We will definitely have more 30 degree weather ahead, maybe some below freezing. Do I need to feed him/them, or should I just continue my regular winter program?

Thanks for the help!

 

[RobAmy]

Continue your winter program, no need for food at all.

 

[Dave 54]

@RobAmy I have acctually had to give our koi the odd meal this winter period, [which as you know would normally go against everything I know about the winter period and koi. But the simply truth of the matter is that here in the South West of the UK the water temperature hasnt really been bellow that of 10c for any amount of time.
To be exact the storms we are having [Gertrude] just recently [Henry just hitting us today] including all the others that have hit us this year, infact even now we are at 10.5c .................
It is only if a weather bomb hits above the UK that we are going down to around 8c, under the covers...........
Thus as such they are using up valuable winter fats which as we all know they need to take them through to spring.
I rang the clubs health officer for some advice about this prolonged period and his advice was that on this occaision it would be best to feed them , not every day but every few days just to keep them ticking over so to speak..
So if anyone else is getting these unusually mild temperatures then my advice is to do the same as we are doing .............

Dave

 

[sissy]

Mine have awakened early also .Top part of pond water is at 50 degrees and bottom is around 56 degrees and that scares me a little as winter is sure not done .Next couple of days in mid 60's and then friday in the mid 40's

 

[RobAmy]

Hi Dave

My pond has a bit algae on the bottom, I see them picking about. I believe they are finding some goodies in there I still look at them and they are still sluggish a bit, yes moving more but they are still in winter mode in my opinion. So you may make a good point. Maybe depending on the conditions in the pond and if there is anything naturally in there for them or not. We are having days here and there warmer but not anything warm enough for me to feed them yet. It is the least amount of ice I have had since building the pond for this time of year. I will still stand on my original advice to the OP and would not feed them yet for the area

 

[Smaug]

It's water temperature not air temp. If your water is over 45f and is gonna stay that way for more then a few days then by all means feed the. Feed them sparingly wheat germ based foods.

 

[Dave 54]

It's water temperature not air temp. If your water is over 45f and is gonna stay that way for more then a few days then by all means feed the. Feed them sparingly wheat germ based foods.

I wasnt talking air temperature Smaug I was talking water temperature in a covered and protected pond that is monitored 24/7 for both water and air temperature [however there is a correllation between air and water temperature] on my pond.
All I have to do is look to my right on the mantel at my remote read out, I can see that the air temperature is at the moment 11.6 c and the pond temperature is 10.7c which for 03:42 am in the morning airtemperature was is very warm for this part of year.
My friend and fellow koi club member Lee's pond is well bellow 10c at this moment in time it was at 2c just a week ago the difference his pond isnt covered

Dave

 

[Smaug]

I wasnt talking air temperature Smaug I was talking water temperature in a covered and protected pond that is monitored 24/7 for both water and air temperature [however there is a correllation between air and water temperature] on my pond.
All I have to do is look to my right on the mantel at my remote read out, I can see that the air temperature is at the moment 11.6 c and the pond temperature is 10.7c which for 03:42 am in the morning airtemperature was is very warm for this part of year.
My friend and fellow koi club member Lee's pond is well bellow 10c at this moment in time it was at 2c just a week ago the difference his pond isnt covered

Dave

Sorry Dave my post was directed toward the OP'S question.

 

[Dave 54]

Sorry Dave my post was directed toward the OP'S question.

Not a problem my friend

Dave