Fish and winter question

[Mike]

I just built a 750 gallon pond and have 9 goldfish in it. Considering it
gets very cold here in Montreal I will be bringing the fish in for the
winter. My question is how big of an aquarium do I need for these fish?
They were bough in June as feeder fish and the biggest is now no more than 3
inches long. I have a 10 gallon tank I could use. Is this too small? Any
suggestions?

Mike

[Doug Swetland]

Mike wrote:

> I just built a 750 gallon pond and have 9 goldfish in it. Considering it
> gets very cold here in Montreal I will be bringing the fish in for the
> winter. My question is how big of an aquarium do I need for these fish?
> They were bough in June as feeder fish and the biggest is now no more than 3
> inches long. I have a 10 gallon tank I could use. Is this too small? Any
> suggestions?
>
> Mike
>
>
>

Mike,

That should be good enough for this winter, although I'd add a
filter/air pump to be sure. Next year will be a different story after
they double in size and number. I once wintered about 25 feeders in a
30 gallon aquarium with bottom filter and side filter. They were
between three and six inches and it was a little tight.

You might want to get or make a minnow trap and see if you can catch any
babies. There is a good chance your fish have been busy and you don't
want to leave any stragglers.

Good luck catching them. It's harder than you think.

dss

[Mike]

I'm sure it will be hard to catch the buggers....I do have a filter and an
air pump as well . So I should be all set for this winter. However, I'm
guessing that the next winter I may want to get a bigger tank?

A minnow trap? I have no idea what this is, but I'm guessing it is used to
catch small fish. How do you make one?

Mike


"Doug Swetland" > wrote in message
...
> Mike wrote:
>
> > I just built a 750 gallon pond and have 9 goldfish in it. Considering
it
> > gets very cold here in Montreal I will be bringing the fish in for the
> > winter. My question is how big of an aquarium do I need for these fish?
> > They were bough in June as feeder fish and the biggest is now no more
than 3
> > inches long. I have a 10 gallon tank I could use. Is this too small?
Any
> > suggestions?
> >
> > Mike
> >
> >
> >
>
> Mike,
>
> That should be good enough for this winter, although I'd add a
> filter/air pump to be sure. Next year will be a different story after
> they double in size and number. I once wintered about 25 feeders in a
> 30 gallon aquarium with bottom filter and side filter. They were
> between three and six inches and it was a little tight.
>
> You might want to get or make a minnow trap and see if you can catch any
> babies. There is a good chance your fish have been busy and you don't
> want to leave any stragglers.
>
> Good luck catching them. It's harder than you think.
>
> dss
>

[K30a]

Go here

http://www.aquaticeco.com/aquatic1v1/itempg.icl?orderidentifier=ID10621719
780151C126E&eflag=0&iteminfo4=0&itmid=1926&passitemid=1926

to see one.

This is the type I use but it didn't cost that much when I bought it!

I've heard you can make a homemade one by using two 2 liter
plastic pop bottles, use the tops as the entrances and the middle as the body.

I put in some kitty treats as bait.

The only other 'easy' way we've caught fish in our pond is to drain it way down
and get in there with nets.

good luck!
k30a
and the watergardening labradors
http://www.geocities.com/watergardeninglabradors/home.html

[Heather]

Mike:

For the minnow net try Canadian Tire or your local Fishing tackle store.
The minnow trap is a standard item and should be quite inexpensive.


Heather
SW Ontario (Zone 5)


"K30a" > wrote in message
...
> Go here
>
> http://www.aquaticeco.com/aquatic1v1/itempg.icl?orderidentifier=ID10621719
> 780151C126E&eflag=0&iteminfo4=0&itmid=1926&passitemid=1926
>
> to see one.
>
> This is the type I use but it didn't cost that much when I bought it!
>
> I've heard you can make a homemade one by using two 2 liter
> plastic pop bottles, use the tops as the entrances and the middle as the
body.
>
> I put in some kitty treats as bait.
>
> The only other 'easy' way we've caught fish in our pond is to drain it way
down
> and get in there with nets.
>
> good luck!
> k30a
> and the watergardening labradors
> http://www.geocities.com/watergardeninglabradors/home.html

[Matt Helliwell]

K30a wrote:

> Go here
>
> http://www.aquaticeco.com/aquatic1v1/itempg.icl?orderidentifier=ID10621719
> 780151C126E&eflag=0&iteminfo4=0&itmid=1926&passitemid=1926
>
> to see one.
>
> This is the type I use but it didn't cost that much when I bought it!
>
> I've heard you can make a homemade one by using two 2 liter
> plastic pop bottles, use the tops as the entrances and the middle as the body.

Yep, I've made a trap like that, worked quite well.

--
Matt Helliwell
www.helliwell.me.uk
matt at helliwell dot me dot uk

[Matt Helliwell]

K30a wrote:

> Go here
>
> http://www.aquaticeco.com/aquatic1v1/itempg.icl?orderidentifier=ID10621719
> 780151C126E&eflag=0&iteminfo4=0&itmid=1926&passitemid=1926
>
> to see one.
>
> This is the type I use but it didn't cost that much when I bought it!
>
> I've heard you can make a homemade one by using two 2 liter
> plastic pop bottles, use the tops as the entrances and the middle as the body.

Yep, I've made a trap like that, worked quite well.

--
Matt Helliwell
www.helliwell.me.uk
matt at helliwell dot me dot uk

[K30a]

I wonder what the age is for goldfish to reproduce? And water temperature...?
Might be. Isn't new water and a full moon
also a trigger (talking to rec.ponds in general
here ;-)
Goldfish will eat a lot of the eggs they
release. I've watched Killer the Goldfish
chase down and eat a baby.


k30a
and the watergardening labradors
http://www.geocities.com/watergardeninglabradors/home.html

[K30a]

I wonder what the age is for goldfish to reproduce? And water temperature...?
Might be. Isn't new water and a full moon
also a trigger (talking to rec.ponds in general
here ;-)
Goldfish will eat a lot of the eggs they
release. I've watched Killer the Goldfish
chase down and eat a baby.


k30a
and the watergardening labradors
http://www.geocities.com/watergardeninglabradors/home.html

[yourname]

"Mike" > wrote in message >...
> I just built a 750 gallon pond and have 9 goldfish in it. Considering it
> gets very cold here in Montreal I will be bringing the fish in for the
> winter. My question is how big of an aquarium do I need for these fish?
> They were bough in June as feeder fish and the biggest is now no more than 3
> inches long. I have a 10 gallon tank I could use. Is this too small? Any
> suggestions?
>
> Mike


The tank is one of the cheapest components of an aquarium, do the fish
a favour and buy them something bigger. If you can't afford a 30
gallon or larger aquarium why not keep them in a garbage can or
rubbermaid bin over winter? They are cheap and reusable next spring
for other purposes.

Cam

[yourname]

"Mike" > wrote in message >...
> I just built a 750 gallon pond and have 9 goldfish in it. Considering it
> gets very cold here in Montreal I will be bringing the fish in for the
> winter. My question is how big of an aquarium do I need for these fish?
> They were bough in June as feeder fish and the biggest is now no more than 3
> inches long. I have a 10 gallon tank I could use. Is this too small? Any
> suggestions?
>
> Mike


The tank is one of the cheapest components of an aquarium, do the fish
a favour and buy them something bigger. If you can't afford a 30
gallon or larger aquarium why not keep them in a garbage can or
rubbermaid bin over winter? They are cheap and reusable next spring
for other purposes.

Cam

[dkat]

It isn't too late to dig a deep pond and leave them outside... :)

(that is meant to be a tease and not a serious statement....still what is
your frost line there?) DK

"Mike" > wrote in message
...
> I just built a 750 gallon pond and have 9 goldfish in it. Considering it
> gets very cold here in Montreal I will be bringing the fish in for the
> winter. My question is how big of an aquarium do I need for these fish?
> They were bough in June as feeder fish and the biggest is now no more than
3
> inches long. I have a 10 gallon tank I could use. Is this too small?
Any
> suggestions?
>
> Mike
>
>

[dkat]

It isn't too late to dig a deep pond and leave them outside... :)

(that is meant to be a tease and not a serious statement....still what is
your frost line there?) DK

"Mike" > wrote in message
...
> I just built a 750 gallon pond and have 9 goldfish in it. Considering it
> gets very cold here in Montreal I will be bringing the fish in for the
> winter. My question is how big of an aquarium do I need for these fish?
> They were bough in June as feeder fish and the biggest is now no more than
3
> inches long. I have a 10 gallon tank I could use. Is this too small?
Any
> suggestions?
>
> Mike
>
>

[Karen Mullen]

In article >,
(K30a) writes:

>I wonder what the age is for goldfish to reproduce? And water temperature...?

kept in optimum conditions a spring hatchling can reproduce in the fall, but
normally they don't reproduce until a year old. Water temps need to be between
60 and 80 for breeding and the eggs and fry need a steady 70 degrees.
Karen
Zone 5
Ashland, OH
http://hometown.aol.com/kmam1/MyPond/MyPond.html
My Art Studio at
http://members.aol.com/kmmstudios/K.M.Studios/K.M.Studios.html
for email remove the extra extention

[Karen Mullen]

In article >,
(K30a) writes:

>I wonder what the age is for goldfish to reproduce? And water temperature...?

kept in optimum conditions a spring hatchling can reproduce in the fall, but
normally they don't reproduce until a year old. Water temps need to be between
60 and 80 for breeding and the eggs and fry need a steady 70 degrees.
Karen
Zone 5
Ashland, OH
http://hometown.aol.com/kmam1/MyPond/MyPond.html
My Art Studio at
http://members.aol.com/kmmstudios/K.M.Studios/K.M.Studios.html
for email remove the extra extention

[Matt Helliwell]

Karen Mullen wrote:
> In article >,
> (K30a) writes:
>
>>I wonder what the age is for goldfish to reproduce? And water temperature...?
>
> kept in optimum conditions a spring hatchling can reproduce in the fall, but
> normally they don't reproduce until a year old. Water temps need to be between
> 60 and 80 for breeding and the eggs and fry need a steady 70 degrees.

Hmmm, if that was the case, they wouldn't reproduce in the UK, ever.
We're lucky to get a steady air temp or 70 degrees, let alone water temp.

--
Matt Helliwell
www.helliwell.me.uk
matt at helliwell dot me dot uk

[Matt Helliwell]

Karen Mullen wrote:
> In article >,
> (K30a) writes:
>
>>I wonder what the age is for goldfish to reproduce? And water temperature...?
>
> kept in optimum conditions a spring hatchling can reproduce in the fall, but
> normally they don't reproduce until a year old. Water temps need to be between
> 60 and 80 for breeding and the eggs and fry need a steady 70 degrees.

Hmmm, if that was the case, they wouldn't reproduce in the UK, ever.
We're lucky to get a steady air temp or 70 degrees, let alone water temp.

--
Matt Helliwell
www.helliwell.me.uk
matt at helliwell dot me dot uk

[Axolotl]

About 4ft.
I remember when I bought my first house. It was in the Montreal area and I
had the garden dug over in the spring they used a backhoe, he was down 3ft
and still into ice, and that was late May early June.
Ex Montréaler
AXO

[Axolotl]

About 4ft.
I remember when I bought my first house. It was in the Montreal area and I
had the garden dug over in the spring they used a backhoe, he was down 3ft
and still into ice, and that was late May early June.
Ex Montréaler
AXO

[Doug Swetland]

Mike wrote:

> I just built a 750 gallon pond and have 9 goldfish in it. Considering it
> gets very cold here in Montreal I will be bringing the fish in for the
> winter. My question is how big of an aquarium do I need for these fish?
> They were bough in June as feeder fish and the biggest is now no more than 3
> inches long. I have a 10 gallon tank I could use. Is this too small? Any
> suggestions?
>
> Mike
>
>
>

Mike,

I live in a climate zone similar to Montreal (Minneapolis). In order to
winter your fish in the pond you need about three feet of water. My
1700 gallon pond is almost that deep in the middle. I get about a foot
of ice covered by a few feet of snow (depending on the year).

That leaves a couple of feet for the fish and I keep a 12 inch hole open
in the ice with a 1200 watt de-icer. The cost to run the de-icer is
about $120 US over the six months of winter (depending on the snow cover).

I mention this because catching the little devils is hard in my 10 by 15
foot pond. The one year (out of six) that I brought them in for the
winter I ended up buying a minnow trap ($6) and building a fish trap for
the larger ones ($2). Baited with dog food this combination worked
really well.

But what's the point of having fish if you bring them inside in
September and then don't get them back in the pond until early June?
Their quality of life is probably better in the pond than the basement.
Mine were rather spooked by the glass of the aquarium and I ended up
covering the sides to reduce the stress.

Besides, it's a great excuse to enlarge your pond.

dss

[Doug Swetland]

Mike wrote:

> I just built a 750 gallon pond and have 9 goldfish in it. Considering it
> gets very cold here in Montreal I will be bringing the fish in for the
> winter. My question is how big of an aquarium do I need for these fish?
> They were bough in June as feeder fish and the biggest is now no more than 3
> inches long. I have a 10 gallon tank I could use. Is this too small? Any
> suggestions?
>
> Mike
>
>
>

Mike,

I live in a climate zone similar to Montreal (Minneapolis). In order to
winter your fish in the pond you need about three feet of water. My
1700 gallon pond is almost that deep in the middle. I get about a foot
of ice covered by a few feet of snow (depending on the year).

That leaves a couple of feet for the fish and I keep a 12 inch hole open
in the ice with a 1200 watt de-icer. The cost to run the de-icer is
about $120 US over the six months of winter (depending on the snow cover).

I mention this because catching the little devils is hard in my 10 by 15
foot pond. The one year (out of six) that I brought them in for the
winter I ended up buying a minnow trap ($6) and building a fish trap for
the larger ones ($2). Baited with dog food this combination worked
really well.

But what's the point of having fish if you bring them inside in
September and then don't get them back in the pond until early June?
Their quality of life is probably better in the pond than the basement.
Mine were rather spooked by the glass of the aquarium and I ended up
covering the sides to reduce the stress.

Besides, it's a great excuse to enlarge your pond.

dss