Shoul I be feeding my fish?

[Tom Puskar]

Like many, we in NJ are experiencing Sprinter! The season when the calendar
says Winter but the temp outside is Spring. We're having 60 degrees outside
for the past 5-6 days and my pond fish seem quite active. I know the books
say don't feed them but I can't help wondering if I should drop a few
pellets of wheat food in the pond. I can't find my thermometer (hid it real
good this time!) so I'm not sure what water temp is. I have two heaters in
the ponds so they were open and the stream was flowing even during our cold
snaps where standing water froze.

Any comments?

Thanks,

Tom in Howell, NJ

[Koi-lo]

"Tom Puskar" > wrote in message
...
> Like many, we in NJ are experiencing Sprinter! The season when the
> calendar says Winter but the temp outside is Spring. We're having 60
> degrees outside for the past 5-6 days and my pond fish seem quite active.
> I know the books say don't feed them but I can't help wondering if I
> should drop a few pellets of wheat food in the pond.

I would be leery of feeding them unless you know the temperature will stay
around 60 for the next 24 to 48 hours. My older koi are still hanging out
on the bottom but the fingerlings and goldfish are active. I fed them a few
times when the Weatherman said the temps weren't going to plunge. I fed
them lightly. So far so good.

I can't find my thermometer (hid it real
> good this time!) so I'm not sure what water temp is. I have two heaters
> in the ponds so they were open and the stream was flowing even during our
> cold snaps where standing water froze.
>
> Any comments?

Home Depot has pool thermometers for less than $5 in case you can't locate
yours.

> Thanks,
>
> Tom in Howell, NJ

--

Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/h/shastadaisy
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[Gail Futoran]

"Tom Puskar" > wrote in message
...
> Like many, we in NJ are experiencing Sprinter! The season when the
> calendar says Winter but the temp outside is Spring. We're having 60
> degrees outside for the past 5-6 days and my pond fish seem quite active.
> I know the books say don't feed them but I can't help wondering if I
> should drop a few pellets of wheat food in the pond. I can't find my
> thermometer (hid it real good this time!) so I'm not sure what water temp
> is. I have two heaters in the ponds so they were open and the stream was
> flowing even during our cold snaps where standing water froze.
>
> Any comments?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Tom in Howell, NJ

I'll often feed my fish some whole wheat bread
when temps arise into the 60s. I haven't noticed
any problems. The wheat food should work the
same. I'd do it earlier in the day rather than later.

Gail
near San Antonio TX

[~ jan jjspond]

>Like many, we in NJ are experiencing Sprinter! The season when the calendar
>says Winter but the temp outside is Spring. We're having 60 degrees outside
>for the past 5-6 days and my pond fish seem quite active. I know the books
>say don't feed them but I can't help wondering if I should drop a few
>pellets of wheat food in the pond. I can't find my thermometer (hid it real
>good this time!) so I'm not sure what water temp is. I have two heaters in
>the ponds so they were open and the stream was flowing even during our cold
>snaps where standing water froze.
>Any comments?
>Tom in Howell, NJ

Don't feed. Fish may be active, but the bacteria in the filter isn't.

Only way around this is to feed, check water quality a couple hours later,
and/or add an Amquel-type product just in case you spike the ammonia. Keep
in mind, our hobbyist's kits aren't that sensitive. So there will be some
unreadable ammonia in the water at all times, and feeding them will also
bring that number up.

If you have algae growing on the sides, the fish have plenty to munch on
during Sprinter (great name, btw). ;) ~ jan

----------------
See my ponds thru the seasons and/or my filter design:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/

~Keep 'em Defrosted~
Tri-Cities, WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website

[Anne Lurie]

I have only a tiny pond with 2 wee goldfish in it, but it is such a delight
to respond to a real "pond" post!

I feed the goldfish if I can see them from the house -- I mean if they are
coming to the surface and swimming around.

OTOH, not many heavy freezes here in NC (except that I probably jinxed
something by saying that!)

Anne


"Tom Puskar" > wrote in message
...
> Like many, we in NJ are experiencing Sprinter! The season when the
> calendar says Winter but the temp outside is Spring. We're having 60
> degrees outside for the past 5-6 days and my pond fish seem quite active.
> I know the books say don't feed them but I can't help wondering if I
> should drop a few pellets of wheat food in the pond. I can't find my
> thermometer (hid it real good this time!) so I'm not sure what water temp
> is. I have two heaters in the ponds so they were open and the stream was
> flowing even during our cold snaps where standing water froze.
>
> Any comments?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Tom in Howell, NJ
>

[Koi-lo]

"Anne Lurie" > wrote in message
. ..
>I have only a tiny pond with 2 wee goldfish in it, but it is such a delight
>to respond to a real "pond" post!
>
> I feed the goldfish if I can see them from the house -- I mean if they
> are coming to the surface and swimming around.
=======================
That's why I fed my small koi and goldfish a few times. They'd be swimming
around the surface nibbling on the sickly looking algae. I also turned on
the aerator a few times when it was warm.
--
Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/h/shastadaisy
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[[email protected]]

my pond is 52-54oF and I have a heater and it is covered so temps move slowly up and
down. without heat and cover my koi would go 6 months with no food. so with the
heat and cover I feed them a reduced amount and every 3-4 days, regular high quality
food. they are eager to eat. I have a seachem ammonia alert in the water to make
sure nothing is building up. my UV is shut off and the water gets a little greenish.
I will continue to feed em as long as they want to eat. this is the 3rd year I have
done this with all of them doing great. they even survived a dead dove in the tank 2
years now. damn doves squeeze thru the smallest spaces!! as long as temps are well
regulated I think feeding is a good idea.
bread has no nutritional value. chopped human quality shrimp would be better. pure
great food. Ingrid

>"Tom Puskar" > wrote in message
>> I know the books say don't feed them but I can't help wondering if I
>> should drop a few pellets of wheat food in the pond. I can't find my
>> thermometer (hid it real good this time!) so I'm not sure what water temp
>> is. I have two heaters in the ponds so they were open and the stream was
>> flowing even during our cold snaps where standing water froze.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for
any of the recommendations I make.
AND I DID NOT AUTHORIZE ADS AT THE OLD PUREGOLD SITE

[Gail Futoran]

> wrote in message
...
> my pond is 52-54oF and I have a heater and it is covered so temps move
> slowly up and
> down. without heat and cover my koi would go 6 months with no food. so
> with the
> heat and cover I feed them a reduced amount and every 3-4 days, regular
> high quality
> food. they are eager to eat. I have a seachem ammonia alert in the water
> to make
> sure nothing is building up. my UV is shut off and the water gets a
> little greenish.
> I will continue to feed em as long as they want to eat. this is the 3rd
> year I have
> done this with all of them doing great. they even survived a dead dove in
> the tank 2
> years now. damn doves squeeze thru the smallest spaces!! as long as temps
> are well
> regulated I think feeding is a good idea.
> bread has no nutritional value. chopped human quality shrimp would be
> better. pure
> great food. Ingrid

Even whole wheat bread has no nutritional value?

Not that I mind feeding them a bit of shrimp... :)

Gail

[Koi-lo]

"Gail Futoran" > wrote in message
...
>
> Even whole wheat bread has no nutritional value?
> Not that I mind feeding them a bit of shrimp... :)
================================
The nutritional values will be on the bag. Check it out. My fish love
whole wheat bread. :-)
--
Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/h/shastadaisy
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[[email protected]]

koi cannot digest carbohydrates, even glucose is not that well digested. feed em a
bit of shrimp!! I have food that is #1 krill.
Of course, best of all would be hatching out brine shrimps... live food, yum. Ingrid

"Gail Futoran" > wrote:
>Even whole wheat bread has no nutritional value?
>
>Not that I mind feeding them a bit of shrimp... :)
>
>Gail
>



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List at
http://weloveteaching.com/puregold/
sign up: http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?hl=en&q=puregold&qt_s=Group+lookup
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for
any of the recommendations I make.
AND I DID NOT AUTHORIZE ADS AT THE OLD PUREGOLD SITE

[Gary]

In the fall, I gradually back off on the amount I feed the fish as the
temp drops. Then when the pond water hits 50 degrees, I completely
shut off the groceries and don't give them anymore until the water temp
is consistently back to 50 or higher in the spring. In the cold
months, the fish are inactive and need very little food, and they can
get what little they do need from what's already there. So the only
reason we are tempted to feed them in the winter is that it entertains
us - not that the fish really need the food. When they do come up to
the surface on a warm winter day, I just take that opportunity to play
with them but don't give them any snacks.
:)
Gary

[Gail Futoran]

> wrote in message
...
> koi cannot digest carbohydrates, even glucose is not that well digested.
> feed em a
> bit of shrimp!! I have food that is #1 krill.
> Of course, best of all would be hatching out brine shrimps... live food,
> yum. Ingrid

Ok, thanks, Ingrid.

Gail

[Gail Futoran]

"Gary" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> In the fall, I gradually back off on the amount I feed the fish as the
> temp drops. Then when the pond water hits 50 degrees, I completely
> shut off the groceries and don't give them anymore until the water temp
> is consistently back to 50 or higher in the spring. In the cold
> months, the fish are inactive and need very little food, and they can
> get what little they do need from what's already there. So the only
> reason we are tempted to feed them in the winter is that it entertains
> us - not that the fish really need the food. When they do come up to
> the surface on a warm winter day, I just take that opportunity to play
> with them but don't give them any snacks.
> :)
> Gary

I suppose the problem I would raise is that in
some parts of the world (for example, South
Central Texas, USA), what some people call
"winter" is what others would call a fairly
warm spring!

So far this "winter", water temp in my *above
ground* ponds hasn't dipped below 50 degrees
F, more than twice, and that only for about
half a day.

There are plenty of plants in my ponds so I don't
think the goldfish are starving even though I ignore
them on most days, but I think we all should
remember that weather differs in different parts of
the world.

Gail
near San Antonio TX Zone 8

[Gail Futoran]

"Gail Futoran" > wrote in message
...
> > wrote in message
> ...
>> koi cannot digest carbohydrates, even glucose is not that well digested.
>> feed em a
>> bit of shrimp!! I have food that is #1 krill.
>> Of course, best of all would be hatching out brine shrimps... live food,
>> yum. Ingrid
>
> Ok, thanks, Ingrid.
>
> Gail

Quick followup: I forgot to add I only have
goldfish and minnows. No koi.

Gail

[[email protected]]

even better. Ingrid

"Gail Futoran" > wrote:

>"Gail Futoran" > wrote in message
...
>> > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> koi cannot digest carbohydrates, even glucose is not that well digested.
>>> feed em a
>>> bit of shrimp!! I have food that is #1 krill.
>>> Of course, best of all would be hatching out brine shrimps... live food,
>>> yum. Ingrid
>>
>> Ok, thanks, Ingrid.
>>
>> Gail
>
>Quick followup: I forgot to add I only have
>goldfish and minnows. No koi.
>
>Gail
>



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List at
http://weloveteaching.com/puregold/
sign up: http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?hl=en&q=puregold&qt_s=Group+lookup
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for
any of the recommendations I make.
AND I DID NOT AUTHORIZE ADS AT THE OLD PUREGOLD SITE