About Moving Goldfish And Koi From Outdoor Ponds To Indoor Aquariums For The Winter And Vice Versa For The Summer (NEW!)

 
When moving fish indoors for the winter there are a number of factors to consider.  Often this involves moving larger fish from an outdoor pond to smaller indoor aquariums.  Conditions are greatly different between the two environments, and there can be fish die offs while the fish are in the aquariums, particularly from crowding.  The following factors need to be considered.

*   Be sure that there is ample aeration of the aquarium water.  Outdoor pond aeration with the open air and more water volume is a lot easier to handle for ample oxygen, than is the case with indoor aquariums.  Extra aeration will be needed.

*  There can be a build up of organics from organic fish waste, excess food, etc., which can be very toxic to the fish if not eliminated.  Kordon Pond AmQuel® Plus should be used to detoxify/remove the organics.  If it is a new aquarium set up, it is recommended to use Kordon ZymBac to provide the bacteria needed for biological filtration and the nitrogen cycle (see Kordon Article Biological Filtration and the Nitrogen Cycle).  Also, Kordon Tidy Tank™ is recommended to provide sludge bacteria to remove the sludge that will build up in crowded water conditions.
 
*   The move from a pond to a smaller aquarium can be very stressful and can cause infections to break out that were previously suppressed, and which may be internal in the fish and not seen.  The results can be lethal to the fish.   It is recommended to use Kordon herbal medications that do not require water changes to serve both as a general preventative and treatment for external infections by protozoans and fungus.  These treatments are Kordon Pond Prevent Ich™, Pond Ich Attack™, and Pond Rid Fungus™.  For internal treatments diagnoses are needed to know which treatment to use.

*   The fish in the aquarium are going to be more crowded than was the situation in the pond.  There has to be sufficient oxygen in the water for both the fish and for the bacteria that will become active in water filtration, etc.   It is often overlooked that when bacteria become active for both biological filtration as well as in waste removal, the bacteria can be using as much or more oxygen from the water as the fish are using.  Aeration is very important, and lack thereof can kill the fish and the bacteria.  The higher the water temperature, the less oxygen there can be in the water.  Therefore, keeping the temperature towards 60 degrees Fahrenheit will be optimum for the naturally coldwater goldfish and koi.

*   Changed water conditions can be very stressful on the fish, particularly if tap water is used that is not detoxified.  Tapwater is to some extent toxic to fishes, particularly from the heavy metals in the water pipes, and from the chlorines and chloramines added by the water utilities.  We recommend that Kordon Pond NovAqua® Plus and Kordon Pond AmQuel® Plus be used to detoxify all the toxins in the water. 

*   Especially in the first days when fish have to adjust to a new pH (acidity/alkalinity) in the water, the new pH level can greatly stress and kill fishes.  For freshwater pond fish it is best to keep the pH about neutral at 7.0-7.5.  Most important is not to have rapid fluctuations in pH.

 

When Moving Fish Outdoors For The Summer the situation is a lot easier than the reverse.  The fish will be happy to be in more space and in outdoor conditions.  If there is a change in temperature or other water conditions to which the fish need to adjust, gradually mix pond water with the indoor water for at least one half hour before transferring the fish.  If tap water is used in the outdoor ponds, be sure it is treated with Kordon Pond NovAqua+ and PondAmQuel+ to remove the toxins added by the public water supply and to remove the heavy metals that come from the metal water pipes (see Kordon Article "The Importance of Removing Heavy Metals From Aquarium and Pond Water".)

If new fish are being brought in to add to those you already have, be sure to read the Kordon Article "The Importance Of Quarantining New Fish Arrivals Intended For Community Aquariums or Ponds".