Do goldfish need a HEATER? Please help.

I keep my goldfish and koi outside all winter and they do just fine. I
have about 18 fish and they all survived the winter and are healthy.

The fish stop eating when the water temperature drops below about 50
deg F. When the temperature drops below about 40 deg F they go into a
topor. A small electric heater maintains a hole in the ice, and a
bubbler provides gas exchange.

Last New Years eve, when the temperature was about -15 deg F, my heater
quit. I boiled pots of water and every several hours went outside and
melted a hole in the ice. There was no way I was going to stay outside
for half an hour and try to hammer through 6 inches of ice. Regardless
of my comfort and frost bite concerns; I believe that the shock to the
fish from hammering can be harmful.

Apparently my neighbor from across the street saw me going outside at
all hours of the day and night, doing something at my fish pond that
caused huge billows of steam to rise. When he saw me a few days later,
he asked if this was some sort of pagan New Year rite. I told him yes,
the hot water was an offering to the great carp god.

Apparently my neighbor from across the street saw me going outside at
all hours of the day and night, doing something at my fish pond that
caused huge billows of steam to rise. When he saw me a few days later,

he asked if this was some sort of pagan New Year rite. I told him yes,

the hot water was an offering to the great carp god.

LOL! Now that is too funny!

They live in coldwater, but hardly thrive. A dog could be kept in a
cage, but it
wouldn't be classed as a cage animal.

Exactly!

OK thanks for all your replies- i now have about 15 differnt answers
haha. Most of you are saying no heater. That's fine. I'll go with the
no heater. But why is one of my fish just hanging out in the bottom of
the cave ornament? This has been going on for about a week. It just
comes out to eat. It has no other signs of distress... no spots, ripped
fins, or anything like that. The other two fish are fine and swim
around like normal. What could be the deal?

Geezer,

Nope, my Philly Veils, Ranchus, Oranda, Phoenix are outside also. I put
them out early in the Spring. I bring all in, but the Comets and Fantails,
put in the early Spring And Fall, when the whole gang are outside, is
usually when the are the largest tempflucations and the gang are just fine.

The only fish I really worry about are the Philly Veils, because in my
expereince they die off in water that is colder than 55 degrees, if left too
long, so in the Fall, when I am thinking about getting fish insde, they are
the first to come and the last to go out in the Spring. Other than that
except they are outside most of time. I usually start thinking about bring
my fish in November, unless the Fall is early and cold that year, and put
the Fish out in March.

Tom L.L.
-------------------------------------
"Geezer From The Freezer" wrote in message
...

Tom,

Your pond fish are probably torpedo shaped fish (i.e. common, shubs or
comets).
They tend to be more resistant to disease than fancies (from my
experience).

What I have found in the past is severe swings, highs to low to highs
due to heating in house going off and on over night that fancies
will get ich due to this more frequently.

Bettasngoldfish,

First of all let me state that Goldfish are not, I repeat, not Cold water
fish. I coldwater fish lives and breeds in water that never gets over 60
degrees. 70 degree water is consider hot to them.

Goldfish was designated as Warm Water fish. This just means that they can
survive in Coldwater. Goldfish in Coldwater are lethargic; A coldwater fish
in Cold water is active.

Tom L.L.
------------------------------------------------
"bettasngoldfish" wrote in message
ups.com...
They live in coldwater, but hardly thrive. A dog could be kept in a
cage, but it
wouldn't be classed as a cage animal.

Exactly!

For thousands of years goldfish have been breed in China in COLD water,
Just a short distance from me , there is a Koi and Goldfish hatchery, No I
don,t live in China. I,m in OZ, No not the prison series on the tellie.
Large outside galvanised tanks are used, with shades over the top, to keep
the sun from cooking them, and there all UNHEATED, There also there in both
summer and winter. The place is also a Goat farm, and the goats wonder
between the tanks. Guess where they get a drink.
I don,t want to get into a debate about the why's and wherefore's but I
think your slightly incorrect in your thinking.
bassett

"Tom L. La Bron" wrote in message
...
Bettasngoldfish,

First of all let me state that Goldfish are not, I repeat, not Cold water
fish. I coldwater fish lives and breeds in water that never gets over 60
degrees. 70 degree water is consider hot to them.

Goldfish was designated as Warm Water fish. This just means that they can
survive in Coldwater. Goldfish in Coldwater are lethargic; A coldwater
fish in Cold water is active.

Tom L.L.
------------------------------------------------
"bettasngoldfish" wrote in message
ups.com...
They live in coldwater, but hardly thrive. A dog could be kept in a
cage, but it
wouldn't be classed as a cage animal.

Exactly!

Bassett,

I don't know what part you are disagreeing with, but all you have to do is
go to and look in any aquaculture literature with fish types are listed and
you will see that Goldfish are listed as Warm Water fish.

Hey, some times in the winter I have 4 inches of ice on my ponds and the
Goldfish are just fine in the Spring, but that doesn't make them Coldwater
fish. Cold water fish breed and move about gingerly in 50 degree water.
Goldfish have already started to slow down and are lethargic in 50 degree
water. Sure if stimulated they will move quickly around the pond, but they
do it only briefly..

Tom L.L.
"bassett" wrote in message
...
For thousands of years goldfish have been breed in China in COLD water,
Just a short distance from me , there is a Koi and Goldfish hatchery, No I
don,t live in China. I,m in OZ, No not the prison series on the tellie.
Large outside galvanised tanks are used, with shades over the top, to keep
the sun from cooking them, and there all UNHEATED, There also there in
both summer and winter. The place is also a Goat farm, and the goats
wonder between the tanks. Guess where they get a drink.
I don,t want to get into a debate about the why's and wherefore's but I
think your slightly incorrect in your thinking.
bassett

"Tom L. La Bron" wrote in message
...
Bettasngoldfish,

First of all let me state that Goldfish are not, I repeat, not Cold water
fish. I coldwater fish lives and breeds in water that never gets over 60
degrees. 70 degree water is consider hot to them.

Goldfish was designated as Warm Water fish. This just means that they
can survive in Coldwater. Goldfish in Coldwater are lethargic; A
coldwater fish in Cold water is active.

Tom L.L.
------------------------------------------------
"bettasngoldfish" wrote in message
ups.com...
They live in coldwater, but hardly thrive. A dog could be kept in a
cage, but it
wouldn't be classed as a cage animal.

Exactly!

"Tom L. La Bron" wrote in message
Bassett,

I don't know what part you are disagreeing with,

Just about everything, "Ducky"

but all you have to do is go to and look in any aquaculture literature
with fish types are listed and you will see that Goldfish are listed
as Warm Water fish.

Incorrect.

Hey, some times in the winter I have 4 inches of ice on my ponds and
the Goldfish are just fine in the Spring, but that doesn't make them
Coldwater fish.

Right, Now I understand. "Bangs head on wall"

Cold water fish breed and move about gingerly in 50 degree water.

What would they be, can't be Goldfish, You said that Goldfish where
NOT cold water fish.

Goldfish have already started to slow down and are lethargic in 50 degree
water. Sure if stimulated they will move quickly around the
pond, but they do it only briefly..

Runs up to the house for a bucket of Steam.

Tom L.L.

"bassett" wrote in message
...
For thousands of years goldfish have been breed in China in COLD water,
Just a short distance from me , there is a Koi and Goldfish hatchery, No
I don,t live in China. I,m in OZ, No not the prison series on the tellie.
Large outside galvanised tanks are used, with shades over the top, to
keep the sun from cooking them, and there all UNHEATED, There also there
in both summer and winter. The place is also a Goat farm, and the goats
wonder between the tanks. Guess where they get a drink.
I don,t want to get into a debate about the why's and wherefore's but I
think your slightly incorrect in your thinking.
bassett

"Tom L. La Bron" wrote in message
...
Bettasngoldfish,

First of all let me state that Goldfish are not, I repeat, not Cold
water fish. I coldwater fish lives and breeds in water that never gets
over 60 degrees. 70 degree water is consider hot to them.

Goldfish was designated as Warm Water fish. This just means that they
can survive in Coldwater. Goldfish in Coldwater are lethargic; A
coldwater fish in Cold water is active.

Tom L.L.
------------------------------------------------
"bettasngoldfish" wrote in message
ups.com...
They live in coldwater, but hardly thrive. A dog could be kept in a
cage, but it
wouldn't be classed as a cage animal.

Exactly!

They live in coldwater, but hardly thrive. A dog could be kept in a cage,
but it
wouldn't be classed as a cage animal.

Goldfish has a natural hibernation cycle, dogs dont. While they are moving a
lot, but keeping them at warm temp year round is more out of the norm.

jc