Pond fish

Question
QUESTION: I have 8 inexpensive goldfish that I put into our garden pond in the yard, they have grown alot and the kids have become very attached to them. It is starting to get cold here and I was wondering if I could bring them into  20 gallon aquarium inside. or should I just let them stay out there. The pond is only approx. 60 gallons and 2 feet deep which is not below our freeze line.

ANSWER: Hi Marcus:  how large are the fish???? dave

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QUESTION: The largest is about 4-5 inches long down to the smallest which is 2-3 inches

ANSWER: Hi Marcus:  You could probably manage keeping them in the 20 gallon tank for the winter.  It is a lot of fish for that space which translates into 50% water changes 2-3 times per week.  It will not harm the fish to be in the tank for the winter so long as the tank maintenance is kept up.  Something to think about is that each year the goldfish are going to get a little bigger and next winter they will not be able to be kept in the 20 gallon tank.  A better investment for them would be a 55 gallon tank that is just used to house them in the winter... How cold does your pond get or your general area get during winter.  Goldfish are cold water fish so they can live in winter ponds year round.  let me know... dave

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QUESTION: Thanks Dave that answers alot especially now that I've looked at the tank and noticed that is only a 10 gallon. It gets pretty cold here, we are in south west Michigan. I have read that if I keep air flowing in there they should be fine, but what can I use to do that? I guess I look at the fact that I only paid $1.00 the fish and I could buy new ones next spring.

Answer
Hi Marcus:  I would look at this problem from this point of view: You and your family obviously enjoy the pond and the fish... so while the current pond population only cost a dollar... they have provided a great deal of entertainment, etc.  In this economy I would consider that a gold mine... however, my point is that this is a great opportunity for you to delve into the next level of pond keeping.  You could invest in a de-icer that would float around the top of the pond and keep it from freezing over.  The other thing that people use are clear plastic covers (tents) that help to keep the pond a little bit warmer... People keep Koi fish in places where lakes freeze over and the fish survive just fine.  Goldfish are not quite as hardy but you should be able to keep the pond and the fish alive during the winter... If the fish do not make it then I would invest in about four small koi next spring... keep me posted and if you have additional questions I am happy to help.... dave