Steps to prepare your fish for winter
Posted on: Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Winter here along the Gulf Coast is less stressful to your fish than Summer. Why? Two reasons, first fish pathogens are less active in colder water and secondly colder water can hold more dissolved oxygen than warm water. There a few steps you can take to prepare your fish for winter.
1. Switch to a food that is higher in carbohydrates and lower in proteins than your summer food. Tetra Spring and Fall food is perfect for feeding Goldfish and Koi during our cooler winter months.
2. Make sure your water garden has plenty of Submerged Grasses such as Anacharis & Cabomba--this allows your fish to eat when they wish, rather than when you think they need food.
 
3. Don't feed fish when the pond temps drop below 45º F. You'll know this even without a thermometer because the fish will be "hovering" at the bottom of the pond in a state of temporary hibernation.
4. In the event of really cold weather(30º F or below) turn off your pumps. This sounds like a bad idea but when you have pumps moving the water during cold weather you are mixing the warm water from the bottom of the pond with the much cooler surface water. When the cold weather passes remember to start your pumps back up.
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