FEEDING FISH in Spring. Many customers kill their fish with kindness. Do not over feed your fish. Since fish are cold blooded, begin to feed your fish when the water begins to stabilize over 50 degrees. During this time the recommended use of Spring or Fall Fish Food can be used. These fish foods have a better digestibility at this lower temperature. With small young goldfish, feed as much as they can eat in 15 minutes, while a large fish can eat half its own weight in that time. Any uneaten food should be removed since it will contaminate the water. A Fish Feeding Ring will keep the floating food in a central location.

Tricker’s recommends to have available each season at least 3 special items to help keep your fish healthy and safe and prevent common fish diseases. These 3 items are found in our store as a single price savings collection. click here

1. Pond Ick Guard: The main ingredient will control Ichthyophthiriasis or Ich. It is very important to treat the pond in early Spring when the weather begins to rise above 50 degrees or when Ich is seen on any fish.

2. Medicated Fish Food. Periodic feeding of medicated fish food will keep your fish healthy by treating any developing internal infections as well as any beginning external infections. Thus, continue routine feeding the commercially prepared fish foods with periodic medicated fish food feeding.

3. Turks Island Sea Salt. It cannot be overemphasized the routine use of sea salt when you have fish. It has many proven functions that have been recognized by fish breeders and raisers over the decades. It functions as an osmoregulatory enhancer by causing fish to release mucus from the gills and skin which can kill or remove parasites, adds natural electrolytes, and reduces fish stress which is common in the Spring. Sea salt will also reduce the toxicity of nitrites in the water by increasing the chloride content (salt) in water and thus will reduce the ability of the nitrate to enter the bloodstream of the fish.

As indicated, Spring is a very crucial time to watch your fish closely for any unusual signs of fish diseases. Prevention cannot be over stated. In our catalog and on the web site is a chart to indicate the fish illness, general indications and the recommended product.

NOTE: All Three fish health remedies can be found in one cost savings collection click here

Summer Fish Care : Continue to routinely use the Turk’s Island Sea Salt and sporadic routine feeding of Medicated Fish food. If fish show symptoms of Ich, the Pond Ick Guard should be used repeated. Watch closely for any beginning fish disease as indicated in our Tricker Chart.

Fall Fish Care: When Fall or Autumn approaches, the fish should stop being fed when the water temperatures begin to go below 50 degrees. Special fish food for Fall can now be used to make sure of digestion by the fish.

Winter Fish Care: In harsh winters, with ice coverage the use of a pond deicer is recommended. This will keep a hole in the ice to allow any noxious gases to escape that can cause fish kills. This is very important if you have a lot of vegetation that is wintering under the ice in the water garden pond. The fish do not need to be fed during this time.

pH, Ammonia Testing : The testing for water quality is important and pH and ammonia are one of the most important and simply tests that can be routinely done. These tests can reveal a lot about water quality and the health of your fish. The pH of the water should be around 7.0 (typically the pH will be higher in late afternoons). You can adjust the pH with Particular Chemicals, however the cause for abnormal pH must be understood and corrected or the abnormal pH will return. Ammonia is produced in the water by the natural excretion from fish, uneaten fish food, or decay of plants. Ammonia can be deadly to fish, especially in warmer water. High ammonia can destroy the protective mucus membranes and gills of fish and cause internal bleeding. The fish will typically show signs of gasping for air at the surface of the water. This sign can be mistaken for lack of oxygen in the water, but is caused by the ammonia destruction of red blood cells inability to carry oxygen by the fish To rid the ammonia, the use of a product called Ammonia-Ease is recommended. The cause of the increased ammonia must be understood so as not to repeat itself, i.e. overpopulation of fish, too much fish food, filter not working, etc.