Sick dormant goldfish?

[fIsHy13]

Thsi morning I went to look in my pond. The top was frozen over thinly, so I melted it with warm, declohrinated water and very gently broke the ice iwth my hands. I then placed a floating plastic container in to try and stop the pond from freezing again.

I looked into the pond. One fish was lying on the bottom of the pond and moved slighty when I touched it. I wasn't worried about that goldfish, but the goldfish I am worried about is the the goldfish that is lying sideways on one of the pond shelves, not moving at all. I thought it was dead and scooped into a container, but it suddenly started to swim around normally. I released it back into the pond and it swam to back to the pond shelf and lyed sideways again! There is nothing on the fish's body that looks like it has a disease Ex. Ich or fungus. It also swam normally.

What is wrong with this fish? Plus, don't goldfish usually hibernate at the bottom of the ponds where it is warmer?

[Galaxie]

Small ponds are going to ice over. The only real way to stop it is to make a waterfall or small fountain of some sort. I'm not sure pouring hot water in a cold pond is a good idea. I know its not a lot of water, but the temperature variation is pretty severe.

If its a small pond, there may not be any temp variation between the bottom and the shelf that fish is on.

[fIsHy13]

The water I poured over wasn't that hot- just quite warm. I can't have a fountain in my pond becuase it wood mean uprooting the whole patio to get it to a power/water supply. I'm hoping that the floating plastic container will help at least a little...

But you haven't told me what is wrong with the fish. Is it sick or is just in a really, really, deep hibernation, because I thought that goldfish only hibernated lightly. I'm worried, please help!

[Riso-chan]

I think the temp maybe dropped a bit too much for the pond. You can float something on the water surface to prevent freezing over again, that should be fine.
Even though these fish are coldwater species, it's likely that it slowed their metabolism alot, putting them in state of dormancy. That's likely what happened, though, I must ask you, are they used to the cold temperatures where you live? If they're not, it could effect them more so than fish that are used to it. I think they would appreciate some temp variation, maybe warmth on one area possibly. That could be all they need. If you can't find any power sources to use, then maybe some type of insulation would work, though I don't know how to do it.
I know you're worried, maybe you should post in the FW section, it's more active and you should get several responses. Good Luck.

[bovsbaitboxes]

find a local pond store they sell floating heaters to keep the pond from freezing over this will help oxygen to get in and bad gases( co2 and other gases from waste)to get out this may be the reason your fish is laying around test the water for ammonia and nitrate

[fIsHy13]

Thanks, Riso-Chan, but if I post this message in any other forums I will get 'told off' by some moderater or another for posting the same messages again and again. Plus, what is the piont in something about ponds being in the fresh water section? That is why there are all these labelled forums, to put things in catagories.

[Galaxie]

My uncle's pond has about 7 common goldfish. Its about 10feet wide by 30-inches deep. Every winter here in VA, it ices over, except for the area directly around a little waterfall. The fish become so lethargic, they barely move at all, but....they are all healthy with every spring thaw. I wouldn't suspect anything is wrong with your goldfish.

[fIsHy13]

One of my goldfish is dead! I supspected he would die as he is only very tiny and came from the fairground. The other two are fine though! The thing is, I have only just fond out he is dead-I have been in Wales for a few days. I know that he could not of died today becuase before I left for Wales, I checked in the pond and he was lying sideways, probaly dead but I could not tell so I left him. Then when I came back he was in the same postion. I am worried that his body has started to decompose and pollute the water. But because the water is so cold, will it act as a kind of 'refridgegirater' and preserve the body until I remove it, which will be first thing tomorrow morning?

[Riso-chan]

No, I don't think the water temp would change too much in the decomp process. You should remove it as soon as possible so that your water quality doesn't deteriorate. That one probably wasn't adapted to cold temps, and it was very young. Your other fish sound like they're okay, and there was a good suggestion in an above post about a floating heater. If you can find one, it would be an added benefit to the fish.

[fIsHy13]

Ok, thanx. I knew he probaly wouldn't survive anyways...

[frloplady]

If the pond is small you could purchase a fish tank heater to keep the temperatures at least a slight bit warmer.

Goldfish do not hibernate, but do go into a kind of stasis. Can they survive, yes and they have for years. Is it the best for them? You have one dead on to say that is probably isn't ideal.

My goldies are in a greenhouse for the winter. Not everyone can do that, but most everyone can put a small greenhouse over their pond in winter. The solar gain in a greenhouse is substantial even when it's cloudy out.

I noticed driving down the road in a light fog the other day...the areas that were in the "shade" from trees didn't thaw as quickly as areas that were in the "sun" that I couldn't see :rolleyes:

I am hoping I can greenhouse cover my big pond next year, and if I can do that all the goldies may get to join the koi for the winter

[Galaxie]

My uncle has a handful of goldfish in his patio pond. Every year it freezes across the surface, except where the waterfall keeps it from freezing. Some of his fish are almost 4 years old now.

btw, I released a 2-inch feeder comet in there about 7-8 months ago and he looks to be almost 6-inches now! Is that normal to grow so fast ?

[frloplady]

Yup they can grow fast. That is good growth in 8 months time.