Let
me start off by saying that I love a good fish fry! Of course,
I'm talking about the Friday night, start your weekend off
right type of fish fry, where someone is serving you some breaded
cod.
What I'm not talking about is my koi frying up in the pond. As
we hit the toasty days of summer, I'd like to talk about the
safety of the fish in your pond.
When the temps get into the 90s and above, most people are miserable.
You're sweating and every bit of movement seems to be in slow motion.
Did you know that the same could be true for your fish? Most people
worry about overwintering their fishy friends, but what about the
other extreme ... overheating your pond?
How Hot Is It?
The temperatures don't need to be boiling hot to affect your fish.
It may feel darn comfortable to you as you dip your toes in there
waiting for them to come to you. Once the water temperature rises
above 80 degrees, however, you may have problems! Why? Because
warm water has a low capacity for holding oxygen. And when it
comes to fish, warm water increases their activity. Their increase
in activity means they need more oxygen, and it isn't as plentiful
when the water's warm. It's a vicious cycle, really! And there's
more. Warm water also increases the activity of bacteria, viruses,
and parasites that could cause disease.
Your fish aren't the only ones that are affected by the warm water.
Plants like water hyacinth, hardy water lilies and water lettuce
can show signs of heat stress. And considering the fact that plants
are one of your first lines of defense against high pond temperatures,
you'll want to keep an eye on them!
What You Can Do
Now don't panic! While I do suggest you get a thermometer for your
pond since it's always nice to know the temperature, there are
some other things that will keep your fish and plants healthy.
First of all, a well-designed pond will drastically reduce the
chances of overheating. You want your pond to be at least 2-feet
deep so the bottom can still remain cooler, and keeping it in
shade always helps. Having a waterfall or agitator of some sort
will also benefit your pond, bringing oxygen into your water
with each contact. A circulating pond is a healthy pond.
Finally, plant coverage is key. I'd recommend filling 1/2 to 1/3
of your pond's surface with plants. It also doesn't hurt to have
some overhead shade from surrounding trees to keep those rays away
from your pond. Chances are your pond is far from overheating,
but a pond thermometer can't hurt. If all else fails, you'll be
able to tell if your pond is healthy by the condition of your plants
and the actions of your fish. Let's try to keep our jewels of the
water garden safe this summer and stay away from the fish fry!
