# Accidental Fish Breeder! HELP!



## Harrypa (Oct 6, 2009)

I have a very old pool in my back yard which has been green for many years but is very big. It is between 4ft and 7ft deep and measures 30ft by 40ft. 

I decided this was a waste of good water and so I got some oxygenating pond weed at the beginning of the summer and was greeted by thousands of waterboatmen and pond skaters soon after. 

I then decided to test the water to see if fish would like it. So I went down to the local fish aquarium and they informed me that conditions were perfect for fish. I bought about 8 Goldfish, 7 Shubunkins and 5 Coi carp. They disappeared into the watery mass never to be seen again, or so I thought.

As I couldn't see any fish for ages I took this to mean they had died. I looked in the pool again about two weeks ago and was greeted by an incredible surprise. I thought 'oh look I can see some of the fish!' and then I realized there were hundreds, if not thousands of fish in the pond. They range from half an inch to about 9 inches long. I have never fed them or done anything.

I therefore have some questions:

Do I need to feed them?!?

Will they die when it gets colder and food is less easy to come by? (We are weeks away from the first frost)

Is there anything else I need to do?

Any help is massively appreciated I would hate to see them all starve!


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## Guest (Oct 6, 2009)

i've seen craps in some places where it gets REALLY cold and the carp were thriving. just how cold does it get?

as for food, it would seem that the pond is sustaining the fish and their growth. else u wouldnt have had them spawn.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Whether the fish can overwinter really depends on the pond size and your local climate. Ask a pond store or a Koi club near you if yours will make it. Also check into whether the pool can handle ice or if it needs to be drained to prevent damage.


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## Harrypa (Oct 6, 2009)

It sometimes freezes but with no more than an inch of ice. I'm just worried that there was enough food in the summer but this will decline in winter with the cold weather (it usually gets down to about freezing) and the fish will starve.

Is this just illogical? 

Thanks for your replies so far!


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

Goldfish and other carp go into a hibernative mode during winter months. Your fish should survive the winter just fine, so long as the whole pool doesn't freeze. We just recently had our first frost and the water was almost at freezing temp and we just pulled the goldfish out of the pond (I live in Minnesota, where the pond freezes solid). They were still hard to catch (although admittedly still slower than when they were warm). Carp are a cold water fish, so they should be able to survive cold conditions.

EDIT: If you are really worried about it, they do sell pond heaters that will keep the pool from freezing at all.


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## smark (Dec 2, 2008)

Wow, Do you have Pictures of this Pool / Pond?


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## th3g0t0guy (Jul 9, 2009)

yea i wouldnt mind seeing a pic!


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

One thing you could do to help would be to feed the fish rather heavily for the next few weeks and then stop the first time the temps dip into freezing. ( Air temp that is, not water temp ) That should keep them going until spring no problem.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

i have seen carp live through a winter where the ice was 2 feet thick..
harry....since your pool is so deep;the fish will be just fine over the winter..they will just kind of lay on the bottom and vegetate..
by next june you should have a few hundred more....or so..


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