[MWG] Today's Pond Q&A
------------------------------- Today's Pond Q&A In this issue: - BATHING BIRDS - WILL THIS HARM THE FISH? - ALBINO CATFISH - CAN THEY WITHSTAND WINTER TEMPERATURES IN ONTARIO? ----------------------------- Question> Hello Carolyn, My question is this, I have a small pond with a waterfall, all very nice, The Blackbirds and Sparrows keep bathing on the waterfall, Is this OK or will any problems arise from them bathing, i.e. any bugs from the birds falling into the pond. If this is a problem, how do you suggest I keep them away? Regards, Malcolm Hills _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ Pond Filters, Pumps, UV's and More... Discount Prices at Our Online Store! http://www.macarthurwatergardens.com _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ Answer> Hi, Malcolm. I do not see the birds as a problem to the health of your fish. At least as far as their bathing, that is. The only problem comes from their droppings and there is, unfortunately, no way to prevent bird droppings from entering an outdoor pond. There are some precautions you can take, such as bird netting over the pond, but it may take away from the appearance. If your filter is working and is charged with the nitrifying bacteria, you should not have anything to worry about. The bird poop will be handled by the filter in the same manner as the fish poop. The birds to worry about are the predatory ones, like heron and egrets. But a blackbird should pose no problem. - Carolyn == Question> Hi Carolyn: Just wondering if you know anything about Albino Catfish? We have 2 of them in our pond - doing great. What I need to know is if they can take the winter or do they have to be moved to a tank indoors over the cold spell? We live in Southern Ontario. Thanks, Connie == Answer> Hi, Connie- I have had albino catfish myself and they did not do that well in New York winters. Mine lasted about two years, but the second year the winter was terrible. The fish didn't make it. I believe if you have enough depth to the pond to create the thermal inversion, with the warmth at the bottom, or use a floating heating element in the pond if it is a smaller pond, the fish might be alright. Mine was a small pond and I probably was not able to offer proper protection at the time. You need to decide whether you have the depth to prevent fluctuations in temperatures, if the fish is large enough to sustain lower temperatures, if the pond is large enough to offer frost-free areas, and if the fish is in good health before going into the winter. These are the criteria that will determine whether the fish should remain outside or be brought in. - Carolyn == Happy Pondkeeping! Brett Fogle MacArthur Water Gardens www.macarthurwatergardens.com © MacArthur Water Gardens 1698 SW 16th ST Boca Raton, FL 33486 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- This email is never sent without permission. You (or someone using your email address) bought something from MacArthur Water Gardens, or signed up for our newsletter, affiliate program, mini-course or requested a fr^e report.. The information we have on file is Your name: Friend Your email: If you wish to be removed from this list, simply click once on the link below.
Message Added: September 3rd, 2005 at 1:00 pm
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