When the weather turns colder there is nothing nicer than an evening in front of the television with the fire blazing in the hearth so we can keep warm. Being mammals we control our own body temperature to keep it at a fairly constant level. Fish on the other hand directly change their body temperature in accordance to their surroundings and so when the weather is cold and we are snug and warm, fish have to create a mechanism to cope with the chilly water temperatures.

It is a common misconception that when the weather gets colder you have to feed your fish more so they can cope with the cold conditions. The opposite is actually true; when the weather gets colder your fish will start to move around less and will start to congregate at the bottom of your pond. Their metabolism will slow down and they will need to feed less. As long as they have taken on adequate reserves during the autumn months most fish will last the winter months without actually needing to feed at all. And, when the water temperature drops below the 6°C mark, your fish will show little if no activity at all.

In the last article we discussed a few common diseases that your fish may contract at some point in their lives. Most diseases are treatable, and if treated quickly your fish will respond well to the treatment.

Most types of medication for fish are added directly to the pond water in the right quantities. This means that all your fish are treated for the same condition which is important because the disease may have spread to other fish but is not yet noticeable. It is also important to treat the whole pond area to prevent re-infection of your stock from untreated diseased fish. This is a reason why it is important to keep an eye on all your fish after the introduction of new fish to your pond. If your pond has just had new fish added these will be the most likely cause of the problem your pond now faces.

Most fish diseases usually take hold in the spring after your fish have overwintered when the fish’s immune system may be low. For this reason it can be effective to treat the pond before ailments occur by using a wide spectrum fungus, bacteria and whitespot solution. This can be bought quite cheaply from your online aquatic retailer.

Fish are prone to lots of different types of ailments. And, because water is such a good carrier of disease you will quickly find that if your fish remain untreated you will quickly have a more serious problem on your hands concerning all your fish in the garden pond.

If you know the water quality in your pond is good, then your fish may have some sort of disease.

• White Spot: This is visible as small white spots (about the size of the head of a pin) on the surface of your fish. It is caused by a parasite and fish are especially prone to problems if there are quick changes in the ponds water temperature.

• Finrot: You may notice erosion on the fish’s tail and fins. This condition is caused by a type of bacteria and is commonly attributed to poor water conditions.

• Parasites: Just like your dog or cat gets fleas, fish are also prone to parasites on their bodies. You may notice your fish scratching due to the irritation or trying to flick their bodies.

• Fungus: If a fish has had some form of injury or irritation, fungus may well take hold of the area. It is commonly seen as a white cotton like growth on the fish’s body. It is not contagious but should be treated before the condition worsens.

• Ulceration: Ulcers can develop on a fish’s body if they have lost scales. Bacteria may enter the tissue and cause further scale loss. An ulcer is seen as a small round red coloured depression on the fish’s skin. They are most commonly seen on the belly of the fish.

Most of these problems can be treated quite effectively using the right type of medication. We will discuss how to treat your fish in the next article.

Your garden pond should provide a healthy environment for your fish to live. But, even if you have created the perfect eco-system, you may find that at some point in time the fish become unwell or even contract a disease.

Many things may cause your fish to become prone to disease or illness but all are exacerbated by poor water conditions.

If you are an experienced pond owner, you may well be aware of the signs that ill fish display. It is important that you act quickly because early treatment of any type of disease will mean that it can be treated more effectively. If you have little experience diagnosing fish problems, there are a few things you can look out for.

• Is there any change in the fish’s normal behaviour?
• Fish should always want to feed, are they competing with other fish for food?
• Check the visual condition of your fish, is their any abnormalities to their appearance?

Unless of course you can visually see that your fish has a disease, the first place to look for a problem is the water itself. You can buy water quality test kits from your online aquatic retailer that will give you an indication of the levels of ammonia and nitrates in you pond and also the pH level.

We will discuss some different common fish diseases in the next article.

The weather has taken a turn for the worse in the last few days and it won’t be long before gardeners and pond owners have to protect their plants from the affects of frost.

Most experienced gardeners will know which plants they need to overwinter in their greenhouse. But if you are an aquatic gardener and have just installed a new garden pond then you may need some tips to prevent all the good work you did in the summer going to waste.

Pond plants usually fall in to one of two categories, either hardy or non hardy. Basically any plant that is classified as hardy can stay in your pond through the winter months without any detriment to the plant and any plant that is classed as non-hardy needs to be removed and overwintered (or you need to take cuttings or buy new plants in spring).

Because of the difficult keeping non-hardy plants, most pond owners will treat them as annuals and replace them the following year. If you cut back the hardy pond plants when their foliage drops, most plants will come again next spring and it can be really rewarding seeing the new growth and planning for the next aquatic year.