bit worried about my fish :(

[lynda66]

yeah the first week i put the fish in the pond ...... we got a heron, was gutted spot the dog fish was 13 and almost blind, and i was worried about putting him out but the vet assured me he'd be fine ...... never thought of herons ....... now have a wire round, so the heron can't get to it, did have a net, but it was messy, theres no trees anyway ....... we haven't got any frogs don't think they like climbing hills lol

[lynda66]

ok no plastic, no net, no herons, more balls, no panic phew it's hard work this winter stuff innit lol ........ so much for global warming

[Nicos]

Back in the winter of '91 ( was it???) when it got really cold over the Xmas period( most of my pots broke in the garden)...I thought we had a couple of frogs in our pond ( tiny thing) but we were away for Xmas week and when we got back and the ice had melted in the pond there must have been about 10 adult frogs...all dead..and white and rotting...I felt rally bad- all for the lack of a ball in the water.
I hope your fish are OK Lynda...you don't need anything else to go wrong for you lass.

[lynda66]

*goes to get lots more balls*

[MaureenHall]

When I had a pond it was always frozen solid (top 3-4") and the goldfish all stayed at the bottom till spring, when they'd come out and spawn like crazy! Indoor goldfish never spawned for me at all

[rustylady]

ok will try not to panic then ..... i was mostly worried about how quickly it has got so thick, i've already got the babies indoors, cos i was worried about them being so tiny and getting eaten in summer, i would have been lots more worried about them i think than the big ones ........ would covering the pond with a plastic sheet help do you think?? ....... sorry but i can't help worrying lol

How deep is your pond Lynda, and what type of fish do you have?

[lynda66]

i have had the indoor ones spawning in the past, but they usually do it at dawn in tanks for some reason, and after about 10 minutes, they've eaten all the eggs ...... i saved 33 babies from the pond this year, and have i think 26 left ..... they've been in the pond 4 years, and this is the first time weve had any survive....... luckily i got a new pond from freecycle thats about 3 times bigger than the one we have, so in spring when the babies are big enough not to get eaten, they can all go out in their new pond

[lynda66]

How deep is your pond Lynda, and what type of fish do you have?

it's about 2 foot deep, they are goldfish and shubunkins .....

[Nicos]

Is it you Lynda who has goldfish in water butts???( an Alzheimer moment here folks!!)

[burnie]

Thermocline is the thing that happens when water ceases to cool,with the lower levels being the warmest,this is why you should switch off pumps as they mix the water up and it gets too cold.Rather than a ball,which as some one said is to absorb the expansion so that physical damage doesn't occur,try a thick piece of polystyrene with a 1 inch hole in the middle of it,this should remain frost free and allows any gasses from decomposing weeds to escape.

[lynda66]

Is it you Lynda who has goldfish in water butts???( an Alzheimer moment here folks!!)

nope ..... was it two sheds?? also having an alzheimers moment lol ...... haven't got round to getting water butts yet.

[lynda66]

Thermocline is the thing that happens when water ceases to cool,with the lower levels being the warmest,this is why you should switch off pumps as they mix the water up and it gets too cold.Rather than a ball,which as some one said is to absorb the expansion so that physical damage doesn't occur,try a thick piece of polystyrene with a 1 inch hole in the middle of it,this should remain frost free and allows any gasses from decomposing weeds to escape.

ooooo i have some polystyrene ....... thanks i'll try that as well as the balls ...... the pump has been off for about a month.

[nelliegemini]

*goes to get lots more balls*

Is this enough (small child optional)

[BrideXIII]

Is this enough (small child optional)

no! you can never have enough balls!

[lynda66]

Is this enough (small child optional)

ooooooooo might be lol ...... i'll opt out of the child tho ta