Upon checking our koi during a routine maintenance period .

[Dave 54]

Today was unseasonably warm at 13c so I thought I'd fold one of the polycarbonate roofing sheet back and let the koi see the world again whilst I was doing routine maintenance and a 40% water change .
Our water was cyrstal clear so I could see right down to the bottom and give all the koi a visual once over checking for any signs that the colder winter months had caused them any problems .
The koi were quite active and the water temperature had gone up to 9c , I'm pleased to report that all our fish where in the best of health and looking as though they were ready for a show,.
After an hour it started to rain so I simply folded the cover down again and put the rocks back on the sheets to hold them in place during high winds .
It would be an idea for us all to check your fish visually if and when you can looking for any signs of trouble and if found to quickly rectify what has gone wrong..
As the water in trickling into the pond using the ambient temperature of the water to warm it up it will be an hour or two more before I'm finished .
This is happening because I have to wait till gone midday for the temperature to warm up enough so that I can do the job and by 16:00 pm the light is starting to rapidly fade, so in reality I'm trading daylight for warmth prior to starting the maintenance routine .
Thankfully the rest of the time I can be sat in our front room drinking coffee and relaxing .

Dave

 

[j.w]

I do a visual check on my goldfish each day. Now they are slower w/the colder water but they sure have such bright colors. All is well w/them so far.
Waterfall running and water bubbler going too. I see them still playing in the waterfall off and on.

 

[Dave 54]

I do a visual check on my goldfish each day. Now they are slower w/the colder water but they sure have such bright colors. All is well w/them so far.
Waterfall running and water bubbler going too. I see them still playing in the waterfall off and on.

Strange isnt it j.w. that our fishes colors are so bright , I've a feeling its all down to the colder waters they are swimming in , what do you think ?

Dave

 

[mrsclem]

I have been checking on mine a couple With the mild weather we have had, the koi figure since I'm down there they are getting fed. Sorry guys!

 

[j.w]

@Dave 54 I would really be guessing but wonder if they could be brighter cuz the pond does not freeze over in winter and there is no plant cover so they receive more light. Or could it be whatever they eat in winter which isn't much has something to do w/it. Or maybe the fish are not stressed due to the fact they have a protective net/cover over them and they aren't scared to death by predators? Or maybe they are not stressed either cuz their water they live in is the right ph etc? Wonder if all the rain we get and the ph that it is has anything to do w/it? I have read that a quick drop in ph can cause them to get dull in color so maybe a higher ph has the opposite effect, not too high tho. Just a big guess so to tell you the truth I just don't know.

 

[Dave 54]

@Dave 54 I would really be guessing but wonder if they could be brighter cuz the pond does not freeze over in winter and there is no plant cover so they receive more light. Or could it be whatever they eat in winter which isn't much has something to do w/it. Or maybe the fish are not stressed due to the fact they have a protective net/cover over them and they aren't scared to death by predators? Or maybe they are not stressed either cuz their water they live in is the right ph etc? Wonder if all the rain we get and the ph that it is has anything to do w/it? I have read that a quick drop in ph can cause them to get dull in color so maybe a higher ph has the opposite effect, not too high tho. Just a big guess so to tell you the truth I just don't know.

We come from a soft water area j.w. which we keep stable by the use of a large bag of lythaqua calcified seaweed in one of our filters
All they get to eat n the winter would be the coating of algae that grows on the bottom and sides of the pond we quit at 10c and stay quit from feeding them as soon as the temperature dips bellow that of 10c for two weeks .
I know that the water is really clear in the winter months so they should recieve more light but remember they had just come out from under the cover of half the pond so the light would fade to shade under the other half of the cover .
We do get alott of rain here during the winter months but remember I do regular 40^ water changes .
I've a feeling is a combination of things and the physical changes to the make up of our water that occur during the colder months of the year

Dave

 

[j.w]

Well yes there has got to be some explanation for it as they are just so very colorful but I sure can't say for sure what it is.

 

[Dave 54]

Well yes there has got to be some explanation for it as they are just so very colorful but I sure can't say for sure what it is.

Yes I agree j.w. and there is an explination as to the effects of temperature on our ponds water during the winter monthsthat you might find most interesting and informative which is helpful to is both and every other member on GFP that lives in colder climes .
Here is a link into exactly what happens, what changes etc :-

http://nrich.maths.org/7273

I hope it goes either part way or the whole way in educating ourselves as to those effects ?

DAve

 

[j.w]

That is a lot of info on water I shall say