I need some advice on how to care for my pond fish this fall.
I have Mollies and goldfish, how long can I leave the out? Or really how cold can they get?
Can I safely extend that time with a heater?
I'm having work done on the interior and need to keep them outside until around Nov 1. I'm from Wisconsin (long time ago now) and always assumed Nov 1 was the first freeze. Have never been able to figure that out here.
If you had a "real" pond i.e., in ground and big enough to not freeze solid, the goldfish could stay out all winter so don't worry about them. As for the mollies watch the water temperature, when it gets to 64 degrees or so bring them in. yes you can add a heater but do it before it gets cold. You might just plan on selling them at the auction in October and I will hook you up with new ones when you are ready. You can also temporarily keep you fish in buckets with sponges inside if you have a safe place inside during construction. the fish will not care you just can't see them as well.
Unfortunately I don't have a real pond. No room in my little patio. But I like the plan! There are a bunch of fry. I can't tell how many or how many will survive but there is a lot of plant coverage.