Goldfish Into Pond

[flumpit2]

hi all,
the weather in the uk is really strange this year and its still quite cold & occasionaly snowing a little bit instead of the usual rain.so has any one got any idea about when it would be ok to put my goldies into my brother in laws pond?
the pond is quite big & deep & during the winter it never froze over as its sheltered from 3 sides & has a wooden canopy over it.the few koi that are in it have started eating again and are becomig a bit more active.when is the earliest i could put my goldies in without the fear that the cold will get to them & they wont survive?any ideas & opinions welcome.thanx. x

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

What types of goldfish are you planning on putting in there? Some goldfish types are hardier than others.

 

[flumpit2]

theres 2 common goldfish,1 comet & 1 shabunkin (cant spell it).there in a 54L tak at the mo & obviously even though theres still room for them to move in it,they need to go to the pond asap for there own sake so that they can grow & reach there full potential.even though they seem happy im sure theyd be happier with more space to swim! x

 

[black angel]

Wait until April and then gradually acclimate them to the colder water.

 

[flumpit2]

thanx black angel,if i wait until the middle/end of april would that be easier on the fish?like i said,i dont want them to run the risk of not making it just cus i didnt wait a little bit longer b4 i put them in the pond. x

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Basically just wait til the weather is more warm and stable, you can buy a heater for the pond though that will help prevent it from freezing and things though if you must get them into the pond now (many koi keepers have heating for their ponds to help their koi reach max length).
edit: how many gallons is the pond and how deep is it?

 

[flumpit2]

hi Tokis-Phoenix,im not sure how many gallons the pond holds (my brother in law doesnt know either,he just dug it to the size he wanted it).its 15ft long.10ft wide & about 8ft deep at the deepest going to 3ft deep at the shallowest.

he doesnt have a heater in it but like i said,it never froze over this winter.think thats cus its surrounded on 3 sides by garden walls,its built into a big decking and has got a wooden canopy covering it.

so if i head for the middle to end of april then they should be ok?like i said,im not desperate for them to go into the pond this minute but they do need to go in soon as they are going through another growth spurt and i feel so sorry for them being in my little 54L tank & we cant afford a bigger tank & havent got room for a bigger tank!basicaly im just tryng to find out when it would be safe enough to put them in the pond with no risk to them from the cold.

thanx for your help x