Keeping Fish Alive Over the Pennsylvania Winter Months

Pond Fish are pretty hardy and usually survive the winter with barely any effort year after year. But there are times when you find one, or two…or maybe even all of your pond fish have died over winter.

So what gives…what could be the cause of your winter pond fish loss?

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Problems:

• Fish Food – When your fish start going into semi-hibernation, their digestive tract starts slowing down. From 55-65 water temperature degrees, your fish should be eating a food that contains a wheat germ ingredient to help with digestion. When water temperature dips below 55 degrees, food need not be fed EVEN if they look hungry.
• Oxygen Depletion – With a sheet of ice over your pond, the amount of oxygen in your pond is limited. Everything needs oxygen: your pond fish, your pond plants the even your beneficial bacteria in the pond need oxygen.
  
• Poisonous Gases – Beneficial bacteria use oxygen to eat up the ammonia, which is then broken down into nitrites and nitrates. A build up of ammonia or nitrates can be lethal to fish. …and in winter, when the water turns to ice, there is no way for these poisonous gases to escape
  

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Solutions:

• Aerator – An aerator is one of the most, if not the most, effective ways to prevent winter fish loss. An aerator produces a column of bubbles also known as oxygen that is used by your pond fish, plants, and by the beneficial bacteria.
  

 

• Pond Heater/De-Icer – In winter, you should have a hole open in the ice to allow for the exchange, and escape, of gases. However, breaking a hole in the ice manually could fatally shock your fish.   Pond heaters are thermostatically controlled and safely keeps a hole in the ice as it forms, allowing the lethal gases to escape.
  

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What what now?

Dreamscapes offers Spring Opening, Fall Shutdown and even Routine Pond Maintenance packages seasonally! We also carry a full line of pond supplies from water treatments and fish medications to pond pumps, heaters, fountains, plants and fish! Tadpoles and snails are also available at our Aquatic Retail Center in Lebanon, Pennsylvania seasonally while supplies last from May-August.  If you think you need it, we have it!

Retail Hours:  April 5th-October 27th 2018:
                           Monday-Wednesday: By Appt
                           Thursday-Friday: 10am-5pm
                           Saturday: 9am-12pm
                     October 28th-April 2019: HOURS BY APPT


Contact Us
2155 State Route 343, Lebanon Pa | 717-272-6555 | info@dreamscapeswatergardens.com

Dreamscapes Watergardens services koi ponds and waterfalls in the city of Lebanon, Lancaster, Harrisburg, Mechanicsburg, Camp Hill, Cleona, Cornwall, Fredericksburg, Indiantown Gap, Jonestown, Kleinfeltersville, Mount Gretna, Myerstown, Newmanstown Palmyra, Quentin, Reistville, Richland, Schaefferstown of Pennsylvania, PA