Mild Winter Weather
We love a mild winter...
our fish are another story
When we are blessed with mild temps and sunny days during the winter, our mood is light and we are grateful that we're not shoveling snow. On the other hand that exact recipe is very hard on our fish.
Sunny days warm the water -- sometimes enough that our fish begin moving around and possibly forage for food even. But then as night falls, the air temperature cools dramatically. Without the warmth of the sun the air cools the pond water enough to create stress for our fish. Extreme temperature changes causes their immune systems to weaken -- just like us humans. A weakened immune system can sometimes lead to a bacterial or fungal infection.
What can we do to help them? First off, make sure there is nothing stirring up water in the BOTTOM of the pond -- pumps, aerator stones or plates. We recommend not running your pump at all during the winter. Aerator stones and plates should be running just a few inches below the water surface. Resist the urge to move your fish, do a water change or anything of the sort. The important thing is to leave the fish be and not stress them anymore.
Other than that, we just have to wait it out. Don't stress about it -- it's just something you should be aware of as a pond owner. And I'm certainly not saying to hope for cold weather... let's hope for an early spring!
our fish are another story
When we are blessed with mild temps and sunny days during the winter, our mood is light and we are grateful that we're not shoveling snow. On the other hand that exact recipe is very hard on our fish.
Sunny days warm the water -- sometimes enough that our fish begin moving around and possibly forage for food even. But then as night falls, the air temperature cools dramatically. Without the warmth of the sun the air cools the pond water enough to create stress for our fish. Extreme temperature changes causes their immune systems to weaken -- just like us humans. A weakened immune system can sometimes lead to a bacterial or fungal infection.
What can we do to help them? First off, make sure there is nothing stirring up water in the BOTTOM of the pond -- pumps, aerator stones or plates. We recommend not running your pump at all during the winter. Aerator stones and plates should be running just a few inches below the water surface. Resist the urge to move your fish, do a water change or anything of the sort. The important thing is to leave the fish be and not stress them anymore.
Other than that, we just have to wait it out. Don't stress about it -- it's just something you should be aware of as a pond owner. And I'm certainly not saying to hope for cold weather... let's hope for an early spring!
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