Moving koi and goldfish outside

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Minnesota-koi

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Mar 27, 2012
Messages
52
Location
Minnesota
I was wondering how close the water temperature should be in my pond compared to my tank in order to get my buddies outside. I have had my tank at 72 degrees all winter and my pond water is sitting at about 57 degrees. Can I acclimate my fish to that temperature and place them in the pond? Or should I wait until the ponds water warms up? Any advice is appreciated.
 

Attachments

  • ForumRunner_20120410_220037.jpg
    ForumRunner_20120410_220037.jpg
    61.1 KB · Views: 142
  • ForumRunner_20120410_220123.jpg
    ForumRunner_20120410_220123.jpg
    69 KB · Views: 159
  • ForumRunner_20120410_220209.jpg
    ForumRunner_20120410_220209.jpg
    61.1 KB · Views: 148
  • ForumRunner_20120410_220218.jpg
    ForumRunner_20120410_220218.jpg
    69 KB · Views: 161
Im not sure that pond is big enough for koi, how big is it? Im not sure about the temperature, I live in a subtropical area so my fish are outside year round. Maybe a combination of both.
 
It is 1000 gallons. Next spring I am installing a 25' by 20' by 4' so that i will be able to leave the fish in all year.
 
I would cool the tank down . If it is heated remove the heat float a bag of ice. Acclimate them slowy not just temp add pond water to the bucket.
I just added 5 koi to my pond the pond was 10deg cooler. Your pond is to small 1000 for more then 2or 3koi.
 
It is 1000 gallons. Next spring I am installing a 25' by 20' by 4' so that i will be able to leave the fish in all year.

Someing to think about. My pond is round 21'x23'x8'. Very hard to get a fish out. I would like 10' x 25'x 6' (4' below ground 2'above better to hand feed)

Also I was told to get about 10 nice koi. I should have now I have 75 koi more the 10 are nice. I can care for them I have the time but I should have got nice ones from the start. Join a pond club.
 
I hadn't thought about doing something like that until now. I would want to be able to catch my buddies.
 
Think about this no rocks in the pond if you do you can take them out.
If you don't put a bottom drain in you will be sorry and it will be to late.
 
1000 gallons is plenty big enough for his koi.they are in an aquarium, going into a pond...think about it...
 
If you Love your Koi and want to keep them healthy,Please dont leave them in the pond over a long Minnisota winter as it Will weaken their imune systems leaving them open to parisite infiltration and general poor health.
 
They would be better off there than in an aquarium that's too small I would think. The pond will be four feed deep with a heater at the bottom and one keeping a hole in the ice.
 
Pond heater

Hope it works out for you. My pond is 4' deep with 2 aerators and radiant heated bottom, also with a floating pond heater. I live in Saskatoon,Sk.Canada so I admit that we have a little colder weather here on average. The winter before this last was my little experiment,I left 3 goldfish to winter the pond,none survived.It may have surely helped if I had covered the pond with a tarp, but my pond is 20'x12' or 35' long over all counting the bog and waterfall. I suggested to my wife that we use one of those tent type car shelters to cover the pond,But like myself, do not wish to risk the health and lives of our Japanese imported Koi. We keep them all in our basement in 2= 6'x2' round water troff's. If you can spare the space for one of the collapsible Koi display tanks in a basement or garage and payed big money for your koi I would not risk it.First try out your winter pond with some cheap feeder goldfish. Best Regards:cool: P.S. Running the heating system cost fortune!:facepalm:
 
Koi are outside and happy. This is the first time they have had live plants (frogbit, water hyacinth, and water lettuce) it seems to really make a difference for the fish.
 
Back
Top Bottom