All winter long I have been taking a look at my (still incomplete) pond and have seen not a sign of a fish...until, that is, when this very mild (for February) spell came upon us.
Now, all my Koi from the previous year were back at their 'feeding stations' every time I approached the pond - so the cat from up the lane, the herons - or even potentially more threatening - the Mink which I had seen along the road hadn't 'got' them!!!
Great, it was really nice to see them swimming around, looking for food - I have to admit to having fallen to the temptation of giving them a small amount, totally wrong! - I recall reading somewhere that Coldwater Fish will eat food at lower temperatures but seemingly at anything below 50degF they cannot assimilate the food and it passes right through them undigested...not good!
You can, it would appear, use Fishfood made from Wheatgerm which will, it is said, be perfectly alright but if they mean alright in the sense of it can be digested...or if it will not pollute the water...I couldn't tell. So really the most sensible option would be to feed nothing - but sometimes doing nothing isn't an option at all. Anyway, it was really nice to see them still there, I'm looking forward to being able to (properly) feed them and to seeing them start to grow - this will be their second Summer so growth should be much more significant than it was last year (their first).
John

Glad you found they had not become cat food or worse, but feeding them is not a good idea, I fell for that hungary look around this time of year or even earlier a few years ago and lost two 12" plus orfe, their stomachs were massively swollen, so I assumed they had not digested their food and it had gone rotten. As I understand it Wheatgerm is easier to digest and in that repect safer to feed at lower temps. I have been tempted to feed mine lately and my water temp would be warmed, because they are half inside the house, but I have resisted. Until the are thoroughly active I think the best advice would be Wheatgerm or nothing.

Hi, yeh, only feed wheatgerm this time of year, until it heats up a bit. The bacteria in the filter will also be in a dorment state so any uneaten food may cause probs. Its also a good idea when the weather heats up (10c+) to do a course of anti-parasite as "nasties" wake up much faster than fishes immune systems and prevention is much better than cure!!!
At the start of the season (usually around Paddys wkd) we have lots of people with parasite problems (90% with flukes) coming up with fish to be scraped!!!!

Anyone got pics of their ponds r fish?

Ive noticed my goldfish have been very active lately...seems to be a little earlier than usual?
None seem to have disappeared...they dont seem skinny,,,wonderin if they have been feeding off the "crawlies" at the bottom of the pond,,,
I generally throw in a treatment to kill off any nasties around beg March...hoping that it will treat n be cleared from pond by time frogs dive back in for their annual orgy....

we have lots of people with parasite problems (90% with flukes) coming up with fish to be scraped!!!!

Now there's a dedicated LFS man for you!!!

Its also a good idea when the weather heats up (10c+) to do a course of anti-parasite as "nasties" wake up much faster than fishes immune systems and prevention is much better than cure!!!

Drew, is there a proprietary 'treatment'?

Anyone got pics of their ponds r fish?

Vincent: Not from me, I'm afraid but I bet someone will have some...
Your Goldfish will be OK, what you must remember is that as fish have no means of generating heat whatever the water temperature is, that's also the fish's body temperature...they are not native to this part of the world (I know they are 'manufactured' fish but the fish from which they were developed are not naturally from here) so they reach an almost 'dormant' state through the coldest months, barely existing - but mostly they do - so that is why they do not/should not be fed at that time of year.
Frogs - ugh, not one of my favourite creatures but as luck would have it they haven't found my pond yet - and hopefully they won't either!!!