winter koi dead?

[subnet88]

Thanks to the warm weather in calgary, my pond grew a section of clear ice over the past couple days. Through the clear ice I can see some of my koi laying on their sides while others are swimming. Are the ones on their sides dead, or just hibernating? I tried to take a picture, but the ice keeps reflecting, preventing a clear image.

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

Mine "sleep" sitting on the bottom in upright position, not on their side.

[kien]

If they are on their sides they can either be dead or sleeping. It's hard to know without actually visualizing their gills moving. I've had fish on their sides in the spring come back to life after appearing dead.

I have noticed that if they are on their sides then they are either really sick or weak. As a result their outcome come spring is more tenuous.

During the winter is your pond completely frozen over? Do you have any area of the pond that's not frozen ? Even a slight hole in the ice so that gas can escape? If the answer is no, then I recommend getting a pond de-icer or a trough de-icer so that you can keep a hold in the hose all winter long. This helps gas escape from the pond. Without the hole gas can build up under the ice and restrict oxygen exchange and pretty much suffocate and poison your fish under the ice.

[jason604]

I just used my old cheap korallia power head pointed up towards the surface and it did a great job of preventing ice build up. My koi pond is 11'x7'x3'

[kien]

I just used my old cheap korallia power head pointed up towards the surface and it did a great job of preventing ice build up. My koi pond is 11'x7'x3'

That won't work in Calgary :-)

[Aqua-Digital]

just thought this post might be of use.

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=118328

[scilover]

Its so beautiful to see them swimming :razz: