I have a small pond with currently 5 medium goldfish in Chicago.

Summer temperatures have just fallen off into the 50s-70s range. I
usually continue to feed until about mid-November. What is the best
way to feed in the 8-10 weeks between now and then?

I could feed them the same as always, begin to wind them down with
progressively smaller feedings, or feed them more to fatten them up
for the long fast until April.

What's the best way, or doesn't it matter?

"emceemc" wrote ...
I have a small pond with currently 5 medium goldfish in Chicago.
Summer temperatures have just fallen off into the 50s-70s range. I
usually continue to feed until about mid-November. What is the best
way to feed in the 8-10 weeks between now and then?
I could feed them the same as always, begin to wind them down with
progressively smaller feedings, or feed them more to fatten them up
for the long fast until April.
What's the best way, or doesn't it matter?

In my humble opinion, really good questions,
on a topic I'd been thinking about posting
my similar questions about.
No experts/veterans answered yet.
I'll maybe stir up something!!!

I've had ponds about 10 years now.
But really less knowledge than that might indicate.
Some forgetfulness, some lazyness, some years
wasted because so discoraged due to predation.
I'm kind of on a upswing with my ponds right now.

The best I'm recalling of the 'better years', is that
it was kind of 'self moderating' for me.
In nice weather it is enjoyable to sit by ponds
watching them eat 3 or 2 times a day.
As it gets colder, and regular rains come in,
I do much less. In October (if I recall correctly),
as the huge number of maple leaves etc. fall,
just impossible to keep up, or feed. They get covered
in leaves that first float, then gradually sink as
more fall / get blown in.
Then winter - just leave alone.
Some years I have some nights of ice, sometimes
7-10 days of ice up to 1" thick.
Interesting to rarely see fish swiming very slowly
under the ice! Brrr.
("Get along little doggie, it's your misfortune,
and none of my own" - as I get back inside house!)
As the weather warms (April or so), I get motovated
enough to 'muck out' the leaves and a fair amount
of 'gunk'.
Most Springs, I believe I still have 'most' of the
fish I had in the Fall.
(But, due to the preditor problem, I know
I've never had a fish last 2 winters.)

Do they fast??
Maybe they do. Guess I've always felt they
have enough 'natural' food in the pond they
can get by without my care.

Does "fattening them up" help?
Maybe? Do they 'put on fat', , or does our
feeding just help them grow bigger?

Guess I've not seen good evidence that
size is that tied into ability to "winter over".

(?? but on the other hand, guess I'm somewhat
a hypocrite. In my lower pond (among the older) live 3
goldfish, that still exist of this year's purchase of $.14 centers.
One is nearing 2", one is 1 1/2" - and I figure
they will be fine ((if not eaten!!)).
But one is still a runt, really scrany thing, maybe
1" long and only about 3/16" wide, poor feeder
even for the pellets I crush and spread above him
((maybe that shows I'm not quite the uncaring
grump advocate of Darwin some think I am?!)).
I have doubts he will be with us in the spring.)

"emceemc" wrote in message
...
I have a small pond with currently 5 medium goldfish in Chicago.

Summer temperatures have just fallen off into the 50s-70s range. I
usually continue to feed until about mid-November. What is the best
way to feed in the 8-10 weeks between now and then?

I feed until the fish lack interest in food. That happens at around 50 F
..


I could feed them the same as always, begin to wind them down with
progressively smaller feedings, or feed them more to fatten them up
for the long fast until April.

I feed to "fatten" them for winter. That fat is what they'll live on over

the winter.


What's the best way, or doesn't it matter?

--

RM....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö

In any kind of pond, but especially small ponds it is important to not exceed the
capacity of the biofilters to remove wastes so the fish are not exposed to either
ammonia nor high levels of nitrates. Typical biofilters are very temperature
sensitive peaking around 80oF or so. Lower than 60 and the bacteria slow down. This
is not true for plants in veggie filters however.
The type of food given GF and the amount at one time is going to affect wastes. GF
and koi do not utilize carbohydrates, so it is in one end, out the other and is waste
in the pond that must be broken down. The higher the content of carbs in the fish
food, the more wastes. GF typically nibble all the time and that gives their gut
time to process the food and poop out small residue. GF given large meals, or, dry
meals and GF have NO stomach so the food moves directly to the intestines and move
thru rather fast without as much digestion. Again, more wastes in the water.
Bacteria work on carbs, but not so much on proteins.
So as cold weather/water approaches I feed freeze dried krill exclusively. I set up
my "in pond" veggie filter and shut off water to the big one. When that happens I
have to cut way back on how much I feed as well. After the first freeze I cover my
pond and drop in the 500 watt heater. I feed small amounts of krill every few days
as long as the koi come up to feed generally when the temp is 50 or better. I am in
Wisconsin due north of you and it used to be the fish went without food for 6 months
of the year. With the heater, the plastic and some kind of filtering there is only
one month a year they go without eating. Ingrid

On Tue, 9 Sep 2008 18:56:33 EDT, emceemc wrote:
I have a small pond with currently 5 medium goldfish in Chicago.
I could feed them the same as always, begin to wind them down with
progressively smaller feedings, or feed them more to fatten them up
for the long fast until April.

emceemc wrote:
I have a small pond with currently 5 medium goldfish in Chicago.

Summer temperatures have just fallen off into the 50s-70s range. I
usually continue to feed until about mid-November. What is the best
way to feed in the 8-10 weeks between now and then?

I could feed them the same as always, begin to wind them down with
progressively smaller feedings, or feed them more to fatten them up
for the long fast until April.

What's the best way, or doesn't it matter?

Feed normally until water temp is around 10°C. If fish still seem intersted
in food, give them wheatgerm ONLY. As the temp drops, so their digestive
systems begin to shut down, and wheatgerm is all they can cope with.
HTH
--
Pete C
London UK

"Pete C" wrote in message
...

Feed normally until water temp is around 10°C. If fish still seem
intersted in food, give them wheatgerm ONLY. As the temp drops, so thei
r
digestive systems begin to shut down, and wheatgerm is all they can cop
e
with.
HTH
========================Mine have never had a problem with the regular food fed until their
appetites are lost.
--

RM....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö

Reel McKoi wrote:
"Pete C" wrote in message
...

Feed normally until water temp is around 10°C. If fish still seem
intersted in food, give them wheatgerm ONLY. As the temp drops, so
thei r digestive systems begin to shut down, and wheatgerm is all
they can cop e with.
HTH
========Mine have never had a problem with the regular food fed until
their appetites are lost.

I suppose that's 'frugal' ponding then?
--
Pete C
London UK

"Pete C" wrote in message
...
Reel McKoi wrote:
"Pete C" wrote in message
...

Feed normally until water temp is around 10°C. If fish
still seem
intersted in food, give them wheatgerm ONLY. As the temp
drops, so
thei r digestive systems begin to shut down, and
wheatgerm is all
they can cop e with.
HTH
========Mine have never had a problem with the regular

food fed until
their appetites are lost.

I suppose that's 'frugal' ponding then?
=======================
It may be, but as long as the fish are thriving..........
:-))
--

RM....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö

I'm in Iowa (hi, neighbor!), and I have a VERY simple pond: 350 gallon
stock tank above ground, then landscaped around it to take away some of the
industrial look. I populate it with 6 goldfish (no Koi) a native carp that
appeared this spring -- who knows?. It's fairly heavily planted with native
waterlillies, under-water plants, and cat-tails, water fern, snakegrass, and
arrow-head (all native except the water fern). The cat-tails, water fern,
snakegrass, and arrow-head are all in pots about 1/2 submerged and all do
well. Its mostly shaded, which keeps down the algea. About November, all
the pots go the bottom of the pond and stay there until thaw. I run a pump
even in the winter which airates and keeps some of the surface clear, even
at 20 degrees (F) below zero. ((Because its the only open water around, I
also get deer, racoons, squirrels, cats, dogs, birds, and probably others in
far greater abundance than in the summer.

As for the fish, I only feed them the amountof floating (so I can keep
track) food they can consume in ten mi nutes, twice a day. As the water
gets colder, they eat less, resulting in less food offered. When it
freezes, I've tried putting a few pellets in the clear spot, but no takers.
There's plenty of natural food with the pots immersed and the under-water
plants. In the Spring, they've always grown over the winter. No problem.

I've had pre-formed ponds, lined ponds, sun lit ponds, and shaded ponds in
about 15 years of trying. I've done hi-tech and no-tech, but this is the
best and easiest pond yet. And it has the healthiest and showiest fish!

Good luck!

Walt


"emceemc" wrote in message
...
I have a small pond with currently 5 medium goldfish in Chicago.

Summer temperatures have just fallen off into the 50s-70s range. I
usually continue to feed until about mid-November. What is the best
way to feed in the 8-10 weeks between now and then?

I could feed them the same as always, begin to wind them down with
progressively smaller feedings, or feed them more to fatten them up
for the long fast until April.

What's the best way, or doesn't it matter?