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Feeding fish in winter?

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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.

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