Swimming into Spring

Goldfish and koi are not indigenous to North America, so in our ponds they merely “survive” winter – they don't flourish in it. Winter's effects on the fish seem to be the same whether the pond is merely icy, or completely iced over.

Coming Out of Winter Hibernation
Fish are cold-blooded creatures that cannot produce their own heat.  Instead, isoenzymes are produced as needed to provide them with bodily functions such as the production of energy, regardless of temperature. As the water gradually warms up in the spring, these isoenzymes are no longer produced and regular enzyme systems begin to function.

Before the fish get “warm” in summer, there’s a narrow period of time where the water temperature has become too warm for the isoenzymes and too cold for the fish’s own immune system to function optimally. At the same time, parasitic and bacterial populations are proliferating at explosive rates – they don’t mind the cold water. This is when the fish are most prone to developing illnesses.

Further compounding these difficulties, fish have usually not been fed all winter – so they have been in a catabolic energy balance (net loss of energy) instead of gain. Feeding koi in the springtime is important in rebuilding these energy stores and supporting the immune system. We recommend Aquascape Premium Cold Water Fish Food Pellets.

Spring Pond Cleanouts
In ponds that have balanced ecosystems with fish, plants, and plenty of space, the biological processes take care of problems which otherwise would require the use of gadgets and gear. However, there is a climax for all natural ecosystems. All riverbeds and ponds eventually turn into swamps as organic solids accumulate, filling them in over the years. On a very microcosmic level, this happens in your pond, too.

Cleaning your pond every year or so is good because it keeps the pond in the “new phase” with the best possible water quality where plants and fish can grow rapidly.You can give your pond a minor cleanout of leaves in the fall after the last tree releases its leaves, and then a major cleanout in the spring.

How and When?
The best time to do this spring-cleaning is in the cool early months of spring, which varies from latitude to latitude. For Georgia, this would be late March and early April. In Chicago, April and May are usually a good time. Generally, a pond cleanout when water temperatures are in the very low 50s is the safest time for the fish. If you perform the cleanout in the cold water of late winter, when the water temperature is in the low 40s, it is too stressful to the fish because they are “just surviving” in the cold. On the contrary, if you wait until early summer when water temperatures are in the high 60s or low 70s, you’ve put yourself squarely in front of oxygen and nitrogen issues in small holding facilities.

What and When to Feed Them
The first food in the springtime should be easily digestible. Wheat germ based foods like Aquascape Premium Cold Water Fish Food Pellets are popular, and for good reason. The fish like them and they are good “first foods” for the spring.

Food should first be offered when the water temperatures achieve 50 to 53° F. Feeding should be sparing! If you load up the fish, they will load up the pond with fish wastes and the beneficial bacteria responsible for reducing the wastes will not be functioning optimally in cooler water.

You can start with Aquascape Premium Cold Water Fish Food Pellets until the water is 55° F and then switch to any combination of two good quality foods. We recommend Aquascape Premium Color Enhancing Fish Food Pellets, Aquascape Premium Staple Fish Food Pellets and for smaller fish Aquascape Premium Fish Food Flakes.

Your Role
For many water gardening enthusiasts, fish play a very important role in the pondering experience. Becoming knowledgeable about their care and how to help them make the best of a tough, wintry situation is well worth your time and effort. As the water warms, your fish will soon be welcoming you each day when you visit your pond.