At 55oF the fish may still be in winter phase. They may take a while to get used to you. Be patient. There may have been predators that made them wary. Fish do recognize individuals so at this point you are still a stranger.

If you have an aerator they may get more active and the additional oxygen is good for their health. The pump sounds a bit small especially with that many fish.

Test strips are not very reliable. A pond water test kit is a much better investment.

Welcome to ponding.

If there is no plant cover, all open clear water, they may be staying low to avoid predators. Having no cover can make them nervous and stressed. The former owner may not have fed them much nor interacted with them and they may not associate people with good things yet.

There were no plants in the pond at all. I have added one water hyacinth and one water lettuce about a week ago. I was told that they will multiply pretty rapidly once the weather gets warmer. I may buy a few more bunches of each so they have more cover.

I have an aquarium pump and have added a 5" round airstone to the pond last night.

Would adding some type of hiding spot help ease the fish? Perhaps a large PVC pipe of some sort around 8-10inches in diameter or a flower pot?

Get a hardy water lily in put it in a pot. This will provide lots of cover once the leaves come out. For your size of pond, 2 pots are probably the maximum you can have before they start to compete with each other for surface area.

The fish have to get used to you. It won't take long before they associate your presence with feeding and they will eagerly come up to the surface expecting to be fed.

Ponder630, so where do you live? I am guess in the 630 area code of the Chicago area. Temps here are no where near ready for the fish to be really active. I agree about the lily but koi and plants do not usually mix well. Goldfish will be no problem with potted plants.

Jan

Just wanted to say Welcome to the Forum, I have been helped so much by everyone here! I have about the same temp here and am waiting for the weather to warm up just a bit more before feeding the fish. My fish are mostly hiding/staying near the bottom right now too, it's what they do in the winter.

Jan, I live in the western suburbs of Chicago. I've read that kois like to eat the roots and will destroy a potted plants. Are there any suitable options for pond covering that is "koi friendly"

Thanks for the warm welcome. I am learning a lot by reading past postings as well!

Make a couple of floating islands with lots f annuals or perenials that wil provde filtration, cover, and enjoyment.
I tak e lighting grids from the box sotre, cut to fit the area, cut holes for the plant pots. cover the bottom with great stuff for floatation, when dry do the top, but add dirts, pea gravel, sand,push into the grat stuff as it sets, tip if necessary, a little time in the sum andvthe great stuff will be orange/brown Rhe flowers, especially inpatiens will cover the great stuff

Hi I raise koi fish, I'm a member of a Alcatel koi club I'm also currently studying to be a koi health advisor. One thing to look for in koi is if their fins are clamped to their body, as opposed straight out like wings. If they are clamped this indicates distress. If your koi are in a cold area, and their fins are not clamped they could just be slowed down for the winter.when the water temp reaches about 55 to 60 resume feeding and see if they become more active. I will be happy to answer any questions you have.

Ponder630,

I've been told that after you plant your lilies in tubs to cover the tubs with a wire so the koi can't get into the soil to uproot the plants. I would guess working with a larger, already established lily, would be the way to go.
If you want, send me your email and I will see if I have any to spare this spring.

Jan
madlmmdl@aol.com

Hi, I have also gained fish and ponds with a house purchase. I have 3 small ponds with one fish in each, I'm concerned about them all. We're in New Zealand, I live in a small town with no specialist shops and I've never owned a fish before. All ponds have quickly turned brown, are over grown and have both types of algae. The smallest pond I decided to empty, scrub and refill (yes, now I know I've caused my problems) The lillies had created a matt so I broke them down, repotted added a spike and put back in my clear pond, I added water ager and have a conditioner tablet dissolving at the bottom and yes I put the fish back in. The lillies leaves are dying but I can see new shoots. The fish hides doesn't eat the fish food left by the previous owners and I'm so afraid I've removed all it's food by trying to deal with the algae growth quickly. Plus I have the other ponds to solve and obviously don't want to make the same mistake again. Any advice for a novice?