What do you do with your pond fish at the end of summer?

Hey peeps

I am not currently making a summer porch/tub pond, but it may be something I want to tackle in the future. I’ve been doing research, but one thing I want to know is this...

What do you do with all your fish when the summer ends? Do you move the whole pond into your basement for winter or something? What if they breed and you have too many? I’d like to know what people usually do.

Thanks

 

My LFS owner just sold his house and three of his 20year old pond Kois are now temporarily in the store tank. They are beautiful, by the way. But back to the topic, he stated that it is important to have an area in the pond that is deeper than the frostline, then keep a hole in the ice to allow for gas exchange.

 

I guess if the fish couldn't survive in winter temperatures then moving the tub into an out-building would be the best option.

If I do a pond again It will be fish that can survive all year round. As above the surface can't be allowed to freeze over completely. A pump running a waterfall will do it or a trick I've done before on a small pond is a football floating and then remove the ball and you have the hole in the ice.

A tub with semi tropical fish would be awesome in the summer but an English winter would finish them off for sure!

 

I stop feeding them.

*shrug*

 

A pretty well known breeder on youtube just let the tubs ice over, he's done it with platinum rice fish and Neocaridinas that I know of. Not sure on the volume on the tubs.

 

What fish do you want and where are you?

In Seattle I just stop feeding the goldfish come October. I brought the Endlers inside a couple weeks prior, though I had one outside until Oct 14th.

 

What fish do you want and where are you?

In Seattle I just stop feeding the goldfish come October. I brought the Endlers inside a couple weeks prior, though I had one outside until Oct 14th.

Thinking of goldfish, or something orange. I’ve heard platys do well, but I know they’re tropical and can’t do winters. That’s partly why I’m asking. Interested in pictus catfish, too.

I’m in the Ohio area. I know when you dig a pond into the ground you can let it freeze over if it still has water below the frost line. But I would be doing an above ground pond, so I figured I’d have to take the fish out at some point. If I get goldfish I don’t have an inside tank big enough...but if I do platys, I have an inside tank they could go—but not if they breed like crazy.

 

Could always insulate the walls and cover it. The goal is to keep it from freezing. Even a small heater could do the trick. Gets chilly here and into freezing with occasional (1-2 weeks) of water surface frozen over (except by the waterfall) They just hang out at the bottom. I have not been tracking water temps until recently, but 40’s if I had to guess.

 

depends on the type of fish. I keep rice fish and goldfish outside but with stock tank heaters, they just ensure the top doesn't freeze over. It may not be unnecessary, but some of my tubs are pretty small, 27 gallons, and I'm worried they would freeze almost solid haha.

Tropical fish I would either bring inside, sell, rehome, on. . . feeders I guess.

I am lucky to have a friend who took some of my tropical fish for the winter and offered to give them back next year if I want them.

 

depends on the type of fish. I keep rice fish and goldfish outside but with stock tank heaters, they just ensure the top doesn't freeze over. It may not be unnecessary, but some of my tubs are pretty small, 27 gallons, and I'm worried they would freeze almost solid haha.

Tropical fish I would either bring inside, sell, rehome, on. . . feeders I guess.

I am lucky to have a friend who took some of my tropical fish for the winter and offered to give them back next year if I want them.

What are some fish species that can take winters? I’d like some suggestions

 

Goldfish, ricefish maybe.

Why not start with just a couple feeder comets and go from there?

 

Rice fish, gold fish, white clouds (I think like to be a bit warmer, but can go pretty cold if I'm not mistaken. . . others please chime in), tons of North American and European fish. . .

 

Why not start with just a couple feeder comets and go from there?

That's what I was thinking! Thanks!

 

That's what I was thinking! Thanks!

I got a dozen assuming half would die and I’d get 2-3 Shubunkin to replace them.

All 13 including the tiny sickly thing we discovered a few months later are still alive and spawning years later. The sickly one has zero fins aside from tail, just nubs. Most voracious feeder in the pond lol We have one Shubunkin and while he’s cool, the feeders just keep changing colors and patterns.

 

If I'm not mistaken I read that the colder the better in terms of water for goldfish.

But then I guess there is cold and cold. Are you supposed to stop feeding them in the winter months? I didn't know that.

It's the opposite here. I live in Western Australia so even when it gets cold, it's not cold. It's our summers that concern me with the goldies - for four days over Christmas the temperatures were 107, 109, 111, and 104. Crazy stuff. I thought they might all end up on the bottom of the pond but they were fine. Granted, they are under a big cantilever umbrella, which is under a very large canopy of trees, and I also made a custom shade cover for the pond.