Will my koi fish freeze in my pond?

BRRRR.. If you’re like me, you can’t wait for spring to arrive and winter to be over! Winter can be harsh in Baltimore, Maryland especially to a pond and landscape. But what about your koi fish? Are they okay in a 24” deep pond all winter?

Ornamental fish will do just fine all winter long in MD. Even in two feet of water, as long as some form of aeration is provided, and a hole is kept in the ice to allow the escape of harmful gases.

There are a couple of products designed to help protect your fish during the winter.

In our Baltimore and Harford county ponds we sometimes experience long periods of extremely cold weather. So, you should consider using a floating de-icer. A floating thermostat controlled de-icer is ideal for keeping a small hole opening the ice during cold winter months, and insures proper gas exchange helping keep fish alive during the Maryland winter.

On some ponds we also install a Pond aerators to oxygenate your pond, helping all biological processes and creating a more stable environment, resulting in healthier fish and plants. Aeration is also very important during winter months in colder climates, as aeration helps to keep a small hole open in the surface of the pond to aid in degassing.

Another option is a recirculating bubbler pump designed to sit in the pond and oxygenate the water. The adjustable discharge pipe on the pump should be located just below the surface of the water. The flow from the pump will bubble at the surface of the pond and maintain an opening in the ice.

I hope this information helps keep you and your fish happy through the (hopefully) mild Maryland winter season.

Happy Ponding!

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