Wintering Koi Indoors? Now Is The Time

Thinking about wintering koi indoors this year? Last winter was so harsh that many people lost some or all of their koi and goldfish from to the extreme conditions. Judging by the reports from our local customers, the majority of people in Ontario suffered major fish losses in their ponds. It’s no wonder that many people are nervous about leaving their koi outside this winter. If the predictions come true and we have another extremely cold winter again, then wintering koi indoors might be a good idea.

If you are planning to winter your koi indoors this year, now is the time to bring them inside. It is a good idea to bring koi and goldfish indoors before the temperatures outside get too cold and the fish go into their winter dormancy. Brining  fish inside now will help reduce the amount of stress from a sudden change in temperature – going from very cold water to warm water.

If you don’t have too many fish, then a large aquarium will likely suffice. However, if you have many fish or larger koi, it would be best to use a larger farm stock tank or portable koi show tank to give your fish enough room. Remember, you will need good filtration to maintain adequate water quality when you bring many fish in a smaller amount of water.  You will also need to check water quality with a test kit (particularly ammonia and nitrite) especially in the first month. Regular partial water changes really help to maintain a stable environment for your fish and help keep them healthy.

For more information  and step by step instructions on wintering koi indoors please visit our Brining Koi Indoors For Winter page.