Will my fish be ok?

[Lorence]

Hi guys..I've an allotment and built a small pond feature with a couple of goldfish happily living there...My question is... The pond is only small and not very deep..about 15inches and as I've never had outside fish before I'm worried if it freezes over will they survive or is the pond too shallow for them.....Thanks for any advice

[wildwood]

If you mean 15" deep, the fish should be ok. When the weather is cold the fish's metabolism slows down and they mope about near the bottom where the water won't be frozen. With just two fish you won't even have to break the ice on the surface, it keeps the water temperature below more stable. The fish can go without food for ages in cold weather.

In case you are impressed with the above brainbox.... anti freeze is highly toxic and will kill the fish within minutes.

[Ice.Maiden]

If the weather becomes Arctic cold, and the water DOES freeze over - keep a rubber ball in the pond. If you pull it out, you'd give the fish an immediare air hole, but I don't think it'd get to that level of freezing. The only other thing is, that with the pond being on an allotment, you run the risk of other animals trying to get at your fish - and herons are likely to be attracted to this source of food. I'd personally put a netting across and anchor it down.

[Lorence]

Thanks for the info Wildwood and Ice.....I do have a net over it.....Cheers