I got my new fake floaters earlier this week and thought today would be a good day to put them out. I put on my raincoat as it is raining here, grabbed the floaters and out to the pond I went. After I had them tied up I dropped them in one at a time. The fish immediately swam over to investigate the sinker that was attached to the end of the line. I think the fish thought it was food. Then I moved one of the floaters to a different area of the pond and guess who followed? I then moved it again to another area of the pond and sure enought the three amigos followed. I would pull the floater up a little bit and the fish would move away. I would lower the floater and they would come and investigate. I kept it up for about 10 minutes. I know it is kind of mean but I have to admit that it was fun! I was grinning from ear to ear! My hubby thinks that I have "lost it" to be out in the rain playing with the fish. I just think that I was having a good time :) :lol:

Yes, that sounds like great fun! (At least for you!). What is your water temperature now? Your fish sound like they're still active. I've brought in most of my fake pond dewhickeys for the winter. I used to have fake plants but the raccoons kept eating them!

Robyn, the pond temp was at 40 degrees the last time I check which was a few days ago. It is probably up a little as we have been having some warmer weather. I have read that the fish will slow down with the colder water but so far mine seem just a little sluggish. They still come to the top and hang out and will dart around if spooked. I have been tempted to feed them a little but haven't so far. I put in the fake floaters just for them to have a place to hide. I plan on trying to keep them in most of the winter. The water is so clear right now that you can see the pump and hoses so the plants do help hide them also. I still have algea on the rocks and sides of the pond, that should die off too right?

The algae that's below the ice line will remain green during the winter. It won't die but it won't grow much either. Algae that freezes solid may die (or at least appear so). I'm sure many ponders would love it if it was that easy to kill algae!

TLC my water is about 40 and my 5 "amigos" are still active they come to the surface when I come up and nibble on my finger in hopes of a treat they have not been fed going on 3 weeks now. I will catch them at the surface while the sun is out then back down to the pump. What are these floaters you are all talking about? I need some bad the guys have no where to hide and I feel so bad i looked for some at our local store and nothing. Please let me know so that I can go get some Thanks
Chris

It's not as pretty, but my pool solor cover pieces have been working good for the last few days. If you can't find the floaters, maybe you can find somebody's cover. :rolleyes: Last year I put in 3 trashcan lids, cut a few of those pool tubes up and the lids floated with NO problems. Even with high wind, they didn't fly out.

My pond temp is holding at 39 which is odd I think as it is freakin cold here this week. My cover must help some. I haven't seen a fish in three weeks and the water is still solid green :-( I WISH, I could play with my fishy's too :-(

Chris, I got them here: http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/cat/info/23554/category.web
They have a few different kinds. You can tell that they are fake but they still brighten up the pond. They come with some fishing line and a little weight that is attached to the end. Johnnyboy said that he has floated fake ivy on his pond. He used some kind of waterfall foam. :)

I checked my water temp yesterday and it was 50 degrees!! I was shocked. :blink: We have had a warm spell here so that would account for the difference.

Chris, about the floaters, Drs Foster and Smith has some real nice looking ones on their website. These look (in the pictures anyway) more like the real thing than the ones that I bought. I found them the other night when I was bored and looking through their catalog. I might order some for myself. :) Here is the link:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/pet_...cfm?c=5163+5325

Ok I am going to look. KK I miss my fish too. My poor aquarium fish are wondering why the heck I am in the water so much. But they have learned even the pleco has started to take food from my hand LOL I can not wait for spring
Thanks all for the links!!!!!!!!!!!!!
chris

Wow that is cool about the pleco! I din't know they would do that. I only see mine after the lights go out in the tank. Our old one did come up and eat with the fish though, he looked so silly swimming upside down with his mouth on the surface. I think he truly thought he was a "real" fishy!

my big one is out all the time and right at the lid when I go to feed very social odd but social the little one comes out but doesnt come up to me Big daddy will take the waffers right out of my finger and even tolerates me petting him little spiny though.

The pond fish I miss a lot and hopefully they will remember me when spring comes. Butter butt is doing well back in the pond much happier than int he aquarium.

I will try to get a pic of Big daddy taking a waffer and post in the aquarium section if I can.

Chris

That would be cool to see that :D I was at my friends house yesterday and her husband keeps pirranha's and I was admiring their two plecos and do you know what??? The pirranha's eat them too so they have to get new ones all the time....SICK or what!!!!

OMG that is sick. Why do they put them in there with them????? KK you always have a great story. LOL