there are two reasons to heat, the biggest by far is their immune system never shuts
down. the other reason is altho the fish metabolism is very very slow, they are
using up stores of fat when they cant eat (water temp under 55, no food). for us in
the frozen tundra that is a loooong time for them to go without food. it weakens
them and their immune system the longer it goes on.
I know about when the temp is going to drop below 55, and feed romet B antibiotic
food for 2 weeks before. When there is going to be a frost I take in the tender
plants, clean the veggie filter out, set up the bucket filter with filter material
from the veggie filter, and then cover the pond. It doesnt help too much in fall (my
other pond had a permanent greenhouse over it, and that did help keep water warm
longer into fall). But it shortens the "down time" in spring.
someday I am going to have a sun pit. a large mostly very well insulated underground
greenhouse that is heated and my koi pond will be in there! Ingrid


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List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
http://puregold.aquaria.net/
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
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