During the colder months it's really important to make sure your pond is well looked after. If your pond is covered in snow it will betoo dark under the ice for plants and algae to create oxygen and go through the process of photosynthesising. You need to sweep away as much of the snow as you can to allow the light to reach the plants, do this as carefully as possible as you don't want to disturb them too much. Most pond wildlife will survive winter without any problems, as long as the pond is oxygenated completely. Breaking the ice on a ponddoesn'treally make much difference to the oxygen levels as oxygen diffuses into water very slowly. Unless you stir the water in some way, with a fountain or a pump, you'll add very little extra oxygen. However, for fish you need to keep some circulation going if you want to get them through the winter. Keep a bit of the ice open, run a fountain, and make sure the pump continues to work. It's not certain if snow on the pond causes any issues to the fish, but it should get a bit more oxygen into the water if you clear it. At Krafty Koi, we can do our bit to help maintain your pond life during the winter by providing a range of.
Krafty Koi Wheatgerm Pellets
These wheatgerm pellets contain all of the nutrition required by fish during the winter. They are easily digested and do not sit in the gut. These pelletsshould be used when the temperature falls to approximately 10c and below. Plus they provide a full complement of B-vitamins and trace minerals.
Tetra Wheatgerm Sticks
During colder periods, the nutritional requirements of fish change slightly. In order to meet these needs, Tetra has developed Wheatgerm Sticks for all pond fish. These sticks contain all of the nutrients required by fish during the winter in a format that is easy to digest, and that will not sit in the gut like non-specialised feeds. By feeding fish during the winter, their energy reserves will not be depleted, and they will start the new season in much better condition. These pellets are a high energy, highly digestible, food ingredient. It also contains certain essential vitamins and fats, which help to maintain condition during the colder months.
Pettex Wheatgerm Food
A quality stick with 24% wheatgerm content, suitable for all types of pond fish, including Koi. Made from Maize, Soya and Fishmeal for high palatability and low fish waste levels. (4mm and 8mm pellets) Wheatgerm 24% Protein 26% Fibre 3% Oils 4. 5% Ash 7%
Just a few little tips for making sure your pond survives the winter:
- Feed your fish a little less than usual.
- Floating water plants should be thrown out.
- Potted hardy plants should be cut down and moved to the bottom of the pond.
- Filters should be cleaned and drained.
We hope all this was useful to you in ensuring a happy pond this season!