Pond overcrowding.What to do?

Hi. I have a problem and could do with some help.
I have a small pond in the garden where we keep about 12 goldfish. Recently
there have been some new additions to the family, about 30 of them. I'm no
expert but I do not feel the pond is big enough to support that many fish.
(the pond is about 4ft wide by 5ft long and about 4ft deep)
Firstly could this have happened because we've been feeding the fish and now
they are relying on the food we provide. The instructions on the food said
to feed them in summer and not in winter.
If we stop feeding the fish what will happen?
Should we move some fish to another pond?
Thanks for any help.

Anchovy wrote:

I have a small pond in the garden where we keep about 12 goldfish.
Recently there have been some new additions to the family, about 30 of
them. I'm no expert but I do not feel the pond is big enough to
support that many fish. (the pond is about 4ft wide by 5ft long and
about 4ft deep) Firstly could this have happened because we've been
feeding the fish and now they are relying on the food we provide. The
instructions on the food said to feed them in summer and not in
winter. If we stop feeding the fish what will happen?
Should we move some fish to another pond?


Umm... counting on fingers and toes..
4x4x5 = 80 cubic feet ~= 640 gallons.

How big are your fish? Should be OK unless you've got seriously big
bruisers.

Figure 3 gallons per inch of goldfish.

If they're spawning and the little ones are surviving, the fish are
happy. Hopefully something is providing some aeration? Waterfall?
Fountain? Spraybar?

As to summer/winter feeding... That really depends on the temperatures
where you live. If you're so lucky to live where the temps stay
above... say 60 degrees, feed away.

There are a whole set of other protocols if the pond is going to drop
much below that, or even freeze...

A good place to ask more questions would be rec.ponds (very active).

-Donald
--
"There is nothing so strong as gentleness, and there is nothing so
gentle as real strength." St. Francis de Sales

Thank you for your advice. I followed your link and now feel much happier.
Cheers