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I have some spare time next week and just wondering if it is a tad too early to clean out my fish pond?
Weather is cold but not really frosty now (Isle of Wight).
I would like to get it done soon as I may be too busy in a month or so.
I have already done my small 'wildlife' pond as there was nothing in it.
So shall I or not...?
It's not always easy to hug a hedgehog.
But that doesn't mean you shouldn't.
If the weather stays like this you should be okay.
Millie & Fly the Border Collies
Weather today a bit grey but I am all togged up in my old clothes ready to go elbow deep in cold,smelly water!
Just having a nice hot coffee with a dash of Tia Maria to fortify myself!
I may add before and after pics of my pond later.
Hope there are not any tadpoles in from last year, or young yearling frogs, some do overwinter if your pond is deep enough, but I think you have already started, so its probaly to late now!!!
Well I am about halfway through now and just come in for a spot of lunch.
I found 5 fish plus 2 dead ones (but that is normal over the winter).
No frogs at all,just a partial skeleton!
I put everything through a sieve so I don't miss anything.
I had no tadpoles last year as the frogs spawned quite early and then the spawn was frozen so no survivors.
Later in the spring I will get about 6 new goldfish and hope I get some to breed.
The past couple of years have not been very successful for my pond,loss of fish etc yet I have been using the same regime in the same pond for over 20 years.
As I have a blanket weed problem last year I bought some Azolla (floating plant) to shade the pond,it did the job and got rid of the blanket weed but has now become a problem in itself as it spreads so rapidly,even the winter frost and ice did not kill it off!!
Pretty cold outside as well today!
All finished now and fish seem quite happy!
I keep hearing conflicting stories about whether or not frog spawn can survive a frozen and / or frosty pond. I hope it does survive.
As long as the frogspawn doesn't actually freeze it should be OK. If you've got any in very shallow water it might be worth moving it into deeper water. How about collecting a little from each clump (mixing the gene pool) in a bucket & putting it somewhere frost free overnight on very cold nights.
Thanks Geoff, I try and move one clump into deeper water but it seemed stuck to the bottom of something and I was worried about harming the clump! Are the clumps resilient enough to be split and put in a bucket then?
Wren, yes you'll find that the clumps come apart quite easily. You may damage a few eggs in the process but you'll be saving a lot more if it gets really cold.
The frogspawn in my pond last year froze and did not survive,so no taddies.
This year I have had no spawn in the pond at all so have collected some from the local pond which has had masses.
The pond is only 100 yards or so from my house so am assuming the frog population is the same so should be no disease spread etc.