Cold water

V,

I have two goldfish in my teeny water garden here in Raleigh, NC (zone
) -- unless the water surface has totally frozen over, I leave the Little
Giant pump running with a "water bell" (aka "dog water fountain!"). On most
days during the winter, there is at least some open water around the
fountain -- so I figure, air gets into the water & noxious gases are
released from the pond.

As for feeding the fish, although I check the temperature of the water and
don't feed the goldfish if the water temp is below 55 (don't scream, folks,
but I use the instant-read digital thermometer from my kitchen drawer to
check temps in both the pond & my vegetable garden; after all, my dogs drink
the water from the pond, and we eat the veggies that grow in the garden) --
I *also* look at the goldfish themselves.

If the fish are just hanging out motionless at the bottom of the pond, I
don't feed them. If I see any motion from them, I make a mental note to
check them later (it's common to have both heat & A/C working on the same
day here, for weeks at a time!). If the fish are "flitting" around faster
than I can follow them, I give them a teeny pinch of food. (Probably more
for my benefit than for theirs, admittedly.)

Note: I'm talking here about *goldfish* not koi -- as I believe the
original poster was, also.

Anne Lurie
Raleigh, NC
__________________

"animaux" wrote in message
...
Well, I bought a heater for the pond. The pond is a combined 165 gallons
with
four 12" comets. The water dropped to 45oF last night, not much warmer
today.
We are pretty cold for Texas.

Anyway, the fish are huddling at the bottom, moving very little, but look
fine.

Here is the question:

Would the pond stay a bit warmer if we do two things; remove the water
globe
feature, and stop the waterfall feature from the other pond. By the other
pond,
I mean the 30 gallon part where the water drips into the 135 gallon tank.
It
was my thought that putting the water into the air via the water globe
(bell or
whatever they call it) the warmth is being totally lost in the cold air.

I just want what's best for the fish.

V