Can My Fish Survive the Winter?

If you live in a climate that endures harsher winters, you’re probably wondering whether your fish can survive the cold. While deeper ponds are better for fish than shallow water gardens, there are some precautions you can take to keep your fish alive in the winter. Protect your fish with these pond winterization techniques:

Make Sure Your Pond is Deep Enough

Fish are made to survive in cold temperatures, and even frozen water. However, there needs to be enough unfrozen water under the ice for your fish to live healthily. Your pond should have an area that is at least 18 inches deep in case it freezes over completely. This can give the fish enough room to create a warmer living space under the ice.

Add a Pump or Heater

If you want to avoid a frozen pond, you need to invest in a pond heater or pump. Heaters are made for cold temperatures, so installing one could be a good option for keeping a small area of your pond warm. Heaters can also create holes in the ice to allow more oxygen to enter the water for your fish.

While a pond pump is more likely to be internally damaged by cold weather, a pump with a fountain can also add oxygen to your pond. The area of water surrounding the fountain stays unfrozen, creating a large hole in the ice through which oxygen can enter the water.

Leave Some Dirt

Because your pond will be more sealed off from nutrients in the winter than in other seasons, it’s important to not over-clean your pond before it gets cold. You don’t need your pond to look perfect in the winter, so leave some dirt, bacteria, and debris in the water. This will provide natural nutrients for your fish to consume.

Limit Food

When the temperature drops, so does a fish’s metabolism. Feeding them more than they need to eat will cause extra waste products, so be wary of feeding in the winter. As the temperature gradually decreases in the fall, scale down the amount of food you give them. When the weather drops to under 45˚F, you can stop feeding your fish altogether. The above precautions can keep them alive throughout the winter without requiring food.

When you’re ready to start preparing your pond for winter, check out the from Pondliner.com. Contact us for answers to your pond and water garden questions.