What do my pond fish do during the Central Pennsylvania Winter Months?

The warm weather is obviously the best time to be able to enjoy watergardens in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. When the cold weather sets in, our beloved pond fish slow down and they tend to keep themselves concealed as they begin to go into their own states of dormancy. It is hard to imagine what is going on underneath those layers of ice and snow to know whether or not our fish are safe.

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Fish Metabolism Drops

Koi and most pond fish are cold-blooded which means that their body temperature is regulated by the surrounding temperature of the water. Similarly, their body functions also respond and change according to the water temperature that they are being kept in. The activity and metabolism of koi and pond fish is greatly reduced during the Winter months which is why they do not feed at this time. Specifically, it is recommended to STOP feeding fish entirely when the water temperature is 50 degrees or below-- as they are not only uninterested in eating it and unable to digest the food in a healthy way, but the wasted food that sinks to the bottom also contributes to toxic waste described later in this blog.

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Dormancy, hibernation, torpor:

Koi and other pond fish go into what is called a “state of torpor” when during the Winter months in zones 5 and 6. “Torpor” is not quite full hibernation, because it is of a shorter duration than the length that hibernation is. Torpor, however, is a very similar state of being to hibernation to include: reduced body temperature, slowed metabolism, slow reaction times, reduced breathing rate and primary body functions. When in the state of “torpor” the animal to is able to save the energy that would otherwise be needed for higher levels of activity.

Fish safety:

Though in a state of torpor, pond fish still contribute waste to the pond and that waste still goes through it's own nitrogen cycle, creating toxic gases. Toxic gases can ultimately kill fish if the gases do not escape the pond. Keep your fish safe by maintaining an open area in the ice try using a floating de-icer or an aerator. If not familiar with either of these items, please read our de-icer blog and/or our aerator blog. This open area in the ice will allow noxious gases, like ammonia, to escape from the pond. If they do not escape, however, you risk your fish suffocating on the gases underneath the ice. Which, logically speaking, you will not notice until the ice thaws and you see your fish belly up.

So what now?

For more information on koi pond fish and pond deicers, please contact us directly!

Seasonally, Dreamscapes carries a full line of pond supplies from water treatments and fish medications to pond pumps, heaters, fountains. Hundreds of plants and fish are available between the months of April and September every year! If you think you need it for your Central Pennsylvania waterfeature pond, 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 | [email protected]
2155 State Route 343, Lebanon Pa | 717-272-6555 | [email protected]

Dreamscapes Watergardens services 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,