Besides the obvious koi, what fish could survive cold winter air temperatures of 20-39 degrees F in a 300-700 gallon pond? This might already be a thread but i didnt see it. Thanks
Cold water pond fish
- Thread starter capo larzo
- Start date
Depends on the depth of the pond. If it's 3 ft deep or more, then you can go with all kinds of natives such as smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, sunfish, catfish, etc. If it's under 3 ft deep, then there is a possibility of too much water volume freezing resulting in a fish kill.
Gator;3154772; said:
Good point. Is this a question of fish for an existing pond or fish for a pond that you want to be built?
Its for a future pond. I wouldnt spend the money for a pond solely for koi/carp. They just dont float my boat. I want a pond very much. Ive done almost everything there is to do indoors aquaria-wise. A pond with some nat monsters is my next step. but like i said, i wouldnt do it just for koi or carp.
what i meant to say is "native monsters". and as far as pond size goes, scratch 300-700 and lets say 800-1200. And as far as the pond section goes, i thought i would have better luck with cold water information in north american native. but ill check over there. just dont want to repost the same thread.
You have lots of choices of native fish that do well in ponds. Be sure to check state regulations to see what you are allowed to stock; some natives and exotics may be prohibited.
The traditional stocked recreational pond has a balance of largemouth bass, sunfish (usually bluegill, pumpkinseed, redear, and/or green), and sometimes a smaller forage species such as golden shiners or fathead minnows. Your state fish and game agency should have info on proper stocking of such a pond.
Other native options include channel cats, blue cats, or bullheads; gar; bowfin; perch; pickerel or pike; and a number of smaller species. Commonly stocked exotics besides koi and goldfish include non-koi varieties of common carp; grass carp; ide; rudd; bitterling; and weather loach.
If you have very large, deep pond you might be able to keep some monsters that demand a bit more space, such as paddlefish; sturgeons; and muskellunge, and fish that need to keep cool, such as burbot; walleye; sauger; and trout.
The deeper your pond is the more stable the temperature will be. Your fish and game agency should be able to tell you how deep your pond needs to be to avoid winter kill. It is also a good idea to run a de-icer, aerator, or water feature during cold weather to keep a hole in the ice so you don't have oxygen depletion problems.
The traditional stocked recreational pond has a balance of largemouth bass, sunfish (usually bluegill, pumpkinseed, redear, and/or green), and sometimes a smaller forage species such as golden shiners or fathead minnows. Your state fish and game agency should have info on proper stocking of such a pond.
Other native options include channel cats, blue cats, or bullheads; gar; bowfin; perch; pickerel or pike; and a number of smaller species. Commonly stocked exotics besides koi and goldfish include non-koi varieties of common carp; grass carp; ide; rudd; bitterling; and weather loach.
If you have very large, deep pond you might be able to keep some monsters that demand a bit more space, such as paddlefish; sturgeons; and muskellunge, and fish that need to keep cool, such as burbot; walleye; sauger; and trout.
The deeper your pond is the more stable the temperature will be. Your fish and game agency should be able to tell you how deep your pond needs to be to avoid winter kill. It is also a good idea to run a de-icer, aerator, or water feature during cold weather to keep a hole in the ice so you don't have oxygen depletion problems.
Thats almost exactly the answer i was looking for. Just for the record, all the fish you named will survive the temperatures i described? as long as the pond is deep enough? are we talking 5 or 6 feet or deeper?
Yes, all those fish can handle near-freezing water temps (the temperature of the water will not drop below freezing no matter how cold the air is). I can't tell you exactly how deep your pond needs to be; that depends on your local climate conditions. How thick does the ice get on ponds and lakes around you? You want at least 20" or so of water below the ice, so add that to the winter ice thickness and you'll have about the right depth. Deeper is always better, but I doubt six feet will be necessary unless you want to keep coldwater species such as trout or walleye.
*edit* Before I forget- also be sure to check local codes before building a pond. Many places require a fence or other safety measures around a pond. Just one more expense to keep in mind while budgeting.
*edit* Before I forget- also be sure to check local codes before building a pond. Many places require a fence or other safety measures around a pond. Just one more expense to keep in mind while budgeting.
it needs to be deeper then 5-6 feet like 8-12 would be good mines 5-6 feet and we lost all of our big bass this winter exept one 2 pound male so this summer me and my buddys plan to dig it out.