I received a letter from Alan who lives in Newcastle in the North East of England. Alan was curious to know how his Koi and goldfish would react to sudden swings in pond water temperature.
My Response To Alan...
Pond fish are to the pond temperature in which they live as well as the quality of the water. During cold winter spells the metabolic rate of your fish drops, resulting in them eating less. This is a survival mechanism that helps them to survive.
As your fish pond starts to warm up so does the Koi's metabolism and other body functions.
Pond water temperature increases gradually
Unlike differences in air temperature that can vary from one day to the next and significantly during the day the pond water temperature in your fish pond isn't affected by such rapid temperature swings. Koi and other pond fish have the significant benefit of their environment (water) acting as a buffer against rapid air temperature swings.
This is due to water taking longer to cool down and warm up. This is particular true in larger, deeper fish ponds that have less pond water volume coming into contact with air temperature.
The longer the warm spell continues, the more likely your fish pond will rise up to those temperatures, but gradually so that your Koi and other pond fish don't experience the rapid temperature changes experienced by us humans due to air temperature.
As with most things in life the better your understanding the better the decision making will be. By knowing the correct pond temperature you will be able to make an informed decision about what type of fish food to feed your Koi and pond fish i.e. a summer fish food or winter based pond food for example.
Despite their resilience to pond water temperature variations they are not as adaptable to changes in pond water quality. Poor water quality is something they do not cope with. This is why the choice of fish food is important along with the amount and feeding occurrence.
Remember to monitor the pond water temperature and feed accordingly. Don't guess! Feeding the wrong food at the wrong times encourages poor water quality which can have an adverse effect upon your Koi's health and immune system.
You should wait until the water temperature has risen to 8-10C and your Koi are actively seeking food before offering them food
If the pond temperature drops will my Koi hibernate again?
Should the pond water temperature drop significantly then your pond fish will start to exhibit typical over wintering behaviour i.e. they will stop eating and stay at the bottom of the pond where the water is warmer.
This is a short term thing however as they will soon liven up once the warmer spring weather reappears.
Water reaches its maximum density at 4 Celsius (39 F). As the pond water cools down it becomes less dense and rises to the pond surface.
For this reason Koi know that by staying in the warmest layer of the pond i.e. the bottom then they are limiting the possibility of tissue damage and subsequent Fish Diseases. This is another reason why ponds should be at least 5 feet deep in order that stratification can take place.
The full article can be read at http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/koi_pondtemperature.htm
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