Ornamental Fish Production and Management (1+1)

12.2.5 Pond disturbance

This should be kept to a minimum during the cooler months of the year, with one or two partial water changes carried out during the summer and early autumn. Should the pond ice over during the winter, a small hole should be melted in the ice using boiling water thus permitting gaseous exchange with the atmosphere. A pool heater will prevent this icing up, and the ice must never be smashed with a hammer or rock as the shock waves may harm the fish. New fish and plants are best added in the spring and summer when they have plenty of time to settle in before the winter. Every few years a major overhaul may be required; this should be carried out in the early summer before the plants begin growing in earnest.