Hot-Weather Fish Feeding Facts

Summertime provides the best time of the year to water garden ? and also to be on the alert for high-temperature problems.

To remain healthy and continue growing, fish need to get all the nutrients available from their food, so feed them food they can easily assimilate in their systems. If fish seem hungry, feed them once to three times daily.

Feeding small amounts guarantees all the food gets eaten, preventing leftover food from spoiling in high, summertime temperatures and dirtying the water. Don't feed fish that aren't hungry ? it only wastes money and soils their environment.

Oxygen dissolves easier in winter, when water temperatures are low. Warmer temperatures mean harder-to-acquire oxygen in water.

In summer, therefore, fish sometimes find it difficult to get enough dissolved oxygen ? particularly in severe summer heat. Even when fish eat, the motion caused by their feeding further depletes oxygen supplies.

Avoid stressing your fish in the summer by feeding them in the cool, morning hours of the day. And to increase oxygen in the water, add a fountain or other aeration method to circulate and add air to your pond water. Submergible plants also help to increase the amount of soluble oxygen.

So, pay attention to your fish. The best rule of thumb is to never give them more than they'll eat in five minutes. Unlike people (!), fish eat only what they need to survive, and as water warms past 77 degrees Fahrenheit, your fish will eat less.

About The Author

Brett Fogle is the owner of MacArthur Water Gardens and several pond-related websites including macarthurwatergardens.com and pond-filters-online.com. He also publishes a free monthly newsletter called PondStuff! with a reader circulation of over 9,000 pond owners. To sign up for the free newsletter and receive a complimentary 'New Pond Owners Guide' for joining, just visit MacArthur Water Gardens at our website.

brett@macarthurwatergardens.com

---

Growing Great Asparagus

I went out to feed the birds this morning -... Read More

Growing Great Potatoes

Potatoes are so easy to grow in the no dig,... Read More

Are You Being Taken Advantage of when Ordering Flowers Online?

Did you know that you can send flowers many different... Read More

Ceiling Patio Heaters

It is unavoidable, Fall is coming and we like to... Read More

Hydroponics Gardening - An Introduction To Hydroponics Gardening For Beginners (Part 5) Plant Growth

PLANT GROWTH & PHYSIOLOGY. (Part 5)There are three classes of... Read More

5 Simple Steps To Dividing Your Hardy Water Lilies

If you missed the springtime window of opportunity to divide... Read More

The Rich History of Wild Roses

Wild roses, of the genus Rosa, are those naturally... Read More

Taming Your Outdoors

Slapping yourself silly trying to keep mosquitoes from biting you?... Read More

Companion Planting

If you look closely at the natural landscape, you'll never... Read More

Introduction to Aquaponics

Hydroponics and aquaponics are very similar in every way except... Read More

Iris Flowers Remind Me Of Mom!

Iris flowers always bring memories of mom to mind. Let... Read More

The Rich History of Chrysanthemums

Did you know that those lush, colorful blooms called chrysanthemums... Read More

Summer Lawn Care Tips

Summer is just around the corner, and your lawn could... Read More

Closing Up Your Container Garden

All good things eventually come to an end and so... Read More

What Is One Flower Benefit That You Know Of?

The biggest flower benefit of all is the fact that... Read More

Winter Gardening Looking Towards Spring

Ok, the title "winter gardening" might be a tad bit... Read More

Invite Spring Early - Grow in Your Basement

Now's the time to get ready to grow your own... Read More

Frame Your Garden With Edging

You've planted the flowers, put in the shrubs and even... Read More

Flowers That Beautify Your Home and Garden

To help gardeners choose flowers, various systems for rating hardiness... Read More

Green Thumb Gifts: Beyond Gardening Gloves

Ahh, spring! It has sprung! Gardeners (and budding gardeners -... Read More

A Rose is a Rose?

There are many varied definitions of what each color of... Read More

Gardening in Containers

Every Garden can benefit from the addition of container gardens.... Read More

Hydroponics Gardening - An Introduction To Hydroponics Gardening For Beginners (Part 3) Lighting

THE BASICS OF HYDROPONICS.An Introduction To Indoor Plant Grow Lights.There... Read More

Gardening with Bamboo

Myths and facts A misconception about bamboo is that they... Read More

Gardening Tips for Early - Mid July

Now we are fast approaching the hottest time of the... Read More

Hydroponics Gardening - An Introduction To Hydroponics Gardening For Beginners

The Basics of Hydroponics Gardening.What is hydroponics gardening?Derived from the... Read More

Fertilizing Your Water Lilies...

Unfortunately, sunlight is not enough.Your water lilies will grow, thrive,... Read More

Fake Grass

The history of artificial or fake grass is to say... Read More

Caring For Tropical And Exotic Flowers

Tropical flowers make an exciting change from the more traditional... Read More

Guide to Basic Lawn Mower Maintenance

Trying to start your lawn mower after a long winter... Read More

Lawn Moles and Proper Lawn Care

Are your making mountains out of your molehills? Although lawn... Read More

Gardeners: Contain Yourselves!

Whether you live in a tiny city apartment or on... Read More

Park Benches

One of the best ways to create a warm and... Read More