Topic: Feeding fish in winter?

[tricia]

Hi all you knowledgeable pond lovers!

Have been lurking and gathering information from you all over the past few weeks and now have another question........

I've read somewhere that fish should not be fed when the temperature sinks below 10 degrees C. For the past couple of days it has been hovering around that mark - even here in the south-west - and two nights ago the air temperature went down to zero. I only have eight goldfish in my small pond, so should I be feeding them now or not? Will they be okay over the winter with only the nutrients in the water? :-/ I'd hate to lose any more - lost 3 in the August heatwave and a gull got another!

The pond is now covered with netting, so cats and gulls can't get at the fish, but I am worried about them starving to death over the winter.

Many thanks for any advice.........Tricia :)

[Doris_Pinks]

Tricia I have about the same number in a small pond, and to be honest I threw food at them the other day and they were not interested one little bit! Have not fed mine over the winter for years now, and they are still with us  :) Dottie P

[tricia]

Hi Dottie,

Thanks for your input - I fed them just a few food sticks yesterday and they were grabbed quite quickly. Today it's raining and only 6 degrees C and they haven't touched the food sticks I threw in, so I guess they won't be needing any more food till the Spring.

Tricia

[teresa]

Hi Tricia

When the temp goes down the fish tend to hibernate they can surive with out food for the cold months. When the temp goes up they will surface to look for food so if you see them on the surface they are looking for something.
If you have oxyganating plants in the pool they will feed of these when hungrey.
So if the temp goes up have a look at them we can have warm days in the winter but mine go to sleep and if it gets warm I have a look other wise its night night and see you in the spring when they are hungrey.
If you put food in over winter after say 15-30 mins its not eaten fish it out otherwise it will foul the water.
Teresa

[Dusty]

Hi Tricia - I have put the odd bit of food in and they are eating but slowly.  I will stop offering them food very soon but they are still acting as if they want feeding.  I think that is more habit than actually wanting to eat, as they hear me (vibrations most likely?) open the patio doors and they all appear like magic with their mouths open and some of them jumping in the water.   The koi are still acting as if they want feeding but when I put something in even they are very slow to eat.  

I never feed them (depending on weather) after end Oct beginning of November until the weather improves and they start actively looking for food in the Spring.

[Margaret]

Hi Tricia.Like my fellow pondies and fish loving admirers!,I too have learnt that not feeding over the winter months is by far the best  for the fish.The only year I did so,because I did not know any different,I lost several in the spring.I had also turned off the pump and filter.

Having learnt my lesson the hard way,I would always recommend no feeding,and leaving the pump running.Even my very small fish survive.As Teresa says,they almost hibernate,only rising to the surface when the sun shines or you approach the pond.There is one thing for sure,they won't starve.There is a fair amount of insect life in my ponds,and that does not seem to affect their digestion,should they fancy a snack!

[Hugh_Jones]

When the water temperature drops below about 10 deg. C. the digestive systems of some fish can no longer cope with food.  Although the fish will often eat the food is not properly digested and this can lead to very poorly fish.

[teresa]

My mistake should have said use only wheatgerm food but only in small amounts if you feel the need.
Keep an eye on very young fish these may not go to sleep the older ones will hibernate without any problem. They have enough fat on them to see them through the winter.
Teresa

[tricia]

Thank you everyone......

I've taken on board all your advice and will keep a nervous eye on my eight young fish for the next few months!

Tricia

[Chloe]

I read this with interest as I haven't fed my fish at all, winter or summer.  As it is a pond at the allotment I wouldn't be able to put filters and such in, and went on the premise that fish survive without feeding in a natural environment, so therefore I didn't need to and I also didn't want to contaminate the water with fish food.  I must admit I have been tempted to buy fish food but have only ever fed the daphnia to them for a treat and to try and fatten them up for the coming winter.

I must admit Sunny, Romeo and Tara don't seem to have suffered at all from this treatment.

[Margaret]

Hi Chloe.Does your pond have lots of weed,plants and imsect life? this will sustain them,but it certainly would do no harm to supplement their diet with a good quality flake or pellet twice a week from spring through to autumn.Even without a filter,this would not be overfeeding them and you will keep a healthy balance,especially if you can take out some of the water and let it fill up again naturally in wet weather.More fish die through overfeeding than under because it affects the quality o the water they have to live in,but it must be a bit of a miserable life having to exist on what they can find.In natural conditions,such as a lake or river,there is the potential for a lot more natural food to live on.Try it next year and you will see a difference!

[Chloe]

Thanks for that Maggie.  I will give it some thought.  I suppose, also, because they are at the allotment and I didn't have any intentions of having fish anyway I thought they might be better off fending for themselves.  Also, if for whatever reason I had to give up my allotment and they were used to food, what would become of them.