How to overwinter fish ponds in the north during winter?

The temperature is relatively low in winter, fish activity is relatively low, metabolism is relatively slow, and they begin to eat less or stop eating. All aspects of their demands will decrease, which will lead to farmers neglecting their breeding management during the winter. In fact, the more winter comes, the more important pond management is. So how do fish ponds in the north overwinter? Let’s take a look below.

1. How do fish ponds survive the winter in the north?

‌1. Increase water depth‌: Ensure that the pond water depth is at least 2.5 meters to improve the pond's insulation effect and prevent the water temperature from being too low and affecting fish survival‌.

2. Feed management: Do not stop feeding too early to ensure that the fish are healthy before wintering. Feed appropriately to reduce weight loss and enhance fish physique. Stopping feeding too early will increase mortality and lead to nutrient loss in fish, especially fry .

‌3. Water quality management‌: Maintain appropriate water fertility and ensure that there is a certain amount of phytoplankton in the pond. The water transparency in winter should be 40-50 cm. If the transparency is too high, appropriate fertilizer should be applied, following the principle of small amounts and multiple times.

‌4. Disease prevention and control‌: Regularly check the health of fish and water quality, identify problems in time and take effective prevention and control measures. Prevent secondary infections such as Saprolegniasis, anchorhead disease, wheelworm disease, oblique tube worm disease, vertical scale disease, and red skin disease due to untimely treatment of injuries caused by pulling the net.

‌5. Breaking ice and increasing oxygen‌: After the wintering pond freezes, it is necessary to dig an ice hole or add water to melt the ice. This is beneficial for observing the activity of fish species and the water quality, and can also increase the dissolved oxygen in the water. Dig no less than 3-4 ice holes of 0.5 square meters per acre of water surface.

6. Clear snow: When snow covers the ice surface, it will affect the light transmittance and photosynthesis of phytoplankton in the water, and then affect the dissolved oxygen. Therefore, snow and dirt on the ice should be cleared in time.

‌7. Check water quality regularly‌: Measure the content of harmful substances such as ammonia nitrogen, nitrite and hydrogen sulfide in the water every 5-10 days. If the water quality deteriorates, change the water in time or add Yi Fuyuan aquatic product special bacteria liquid to adjust the water quality.

2. What impact does winter have on fish farming?

1. In winter, the light duration is short, the light intensity is relatively weak, and the water temperature is low, which has a great impact on the growth and reproduction of some algae. The water quality in the fish pond will be turbid and thin in winter, the balance of algae and bacteria is easily broken, and bacterial diseases (such as bottom fish hemorrhagic disease) are prone to occur.

2. With the frequent invasion of cold air, the change of wind direction and the rapid cooling of surface water cause strong convection in the water body, which can easily cause water instability. The concentrations of toxic and harmful substances such as ammonia nitrogen, hypochlorite and hydrogen sulfide can easily exceed the standard, and the water temperature drops rapidly and sharply, which has a great impact on fish.

3. Winter is the late stage of breeding. The accumulation of feces and leftover bait at the bottom of the pond and the failure to replenish phosphate fertilizers and carbon sources in the pond in a timely manner after consumption affect the normal operation of the material cycle in the pond, reduce the overall productivity of the pond, and further accumulate harmful substances such as nitrite and ammonia nitrogen.

4. Other aspects: When fish prices are not ideal, there will be too many fish stored, causing lack of oxygen and floating of the fish; feeding too much or too little may cause waste or fat loss.

That’s it