How much fish food should I add to a 500 gallon pond with a dozen goldfish and 20 frogs?

I have aquatic frogs and I feed them dried worms. I forgot the kind of worms they are – I will google it. These frogs are about 4 inches from head to toe. I put a pinch of the worms in each day or every other day.

For the fish, I put a bigger pinch of the goldfish flakes. The frogs eat the flakes, probably and the fish eat the worms, probably. Will google the worms.

The Repto-min floating food sticks I have for the turtles. They’re little sticks around ½” long. Those turtles are a bit bigger. When they were smaller, the sticks were smaller.

Just googled it – they’re blood worms. They look like little rust colored metal shavings but they’re obviously not hard like metal.

To answer the question about how much food for a dozen fish, maybe the equivalent of a ½ teaspoon, level. For the frogs, same thing in blood worms.

The Repto-min sticks, as I said, I’m not sure they’re appropriate. Try it and see.

That is good info. Can I assume you are putting these into a fish tank and the fish come and eat the stuff? The instructions say: “Feed two to three times daily, only as much as your fish can consume within several minutes.” I have no idea how much they eat since I don’t see them.
You’ve given me a good place to start. I’m hoping for a number like, for example, :“100 mg per day per fish”.
Heck, if the frogs don’t eat the ReptoMin food sticks I’ll mix them with All-Bran and eat them myself.

^^^ Then you can call yourself LuckyReptoGuy. lol
Cool little project you have going on! I’d assume though that if the fish do not eat the flakes pretty quickly they will just melt away and be gone. Maybe try the bloodworms like @jca mentions or, find a pelleted goldfish food that will not dissolve as quickly as the flake food.
Also, spring and summer should yeild a large amount of natural insect activity that the fish and frogs will capitalize on but in winter I think the frogs will go dormant, hibernate and goldfish really like colder water but don;t know if they survive freezing temps.????

Does the food float? I always tried to go on the low side when I fed the fish. Maybe 75 to 100 mg and see how long it takes them to make that disappear?

I’d like to see a picture of it @LuckyGuy!

@LuckyGuy: Yes my fish, frogs and turtles are in a tank. The food floats but then with the filter, some of it goes downward. I feed them once a day or once every two days.

@Coloma brings up a good point. If there is freezing water, obviously the fish will die and the frogs will go where ever frogs go to survive the winter.

Maybe you could get more helpful info from Koi pond owners since there’s a significant difference in overall environmental factors between ponds and tanks.

And my limited understanding from previous reading is that the main difference between Koi and goldfish is the gorgeous coloring bred into the
Koi (and their significantly higher cost.) They’re
essentially the same species. Goldfish will grow as large as their environment will allow.

And regarding winter temps, definitely research how Koi owners keep theirs alive.

The pond is about 6 ft deep and 6 ft in diameter – think of an impact crater a meteorite would make. Earlier in the summer I threw in 200 pounds of bentonite clay to seal the sides and walls.
This is a cold climate so for sure the top 2 feet will freeze but the bottom will still be liquid. I can keep the bubbler going. They won’t freeze.
I’ll take some pictures in daylight and figure out a way to post them. I will also look for info on Koi ponds although they are definitely in a different class..

My father breeds Koi and his pond is about 4ft deep so yours at 6ft will be absolutely fine in the winter. The fish go dormant in freezing weather; they pretty much hibernate at the bottom, burying themselves in the mud and they stay there until it thaws. He keeps running water flowing all year round, just a simple pump keeps a little area of the pond un-frozen to keep the water sufficiently oxygenated.

Edited to add; you may find that a pond of that size with plenty of vegetation and only a dozen small fish is pretty much self-sustaining for food anyway, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they don’t eat much extra. Koi and goldfish are naturally bottom feeders and prefer to wait for the food to sink. Only very hungry (or very greedy and dominant) fish will gobble it at the surface.

@LuckyGuy Unless your pond is deep enough, your biggest problem with your lovely pond will be neighborhood raccoons. They’ll be delighted when they discover you’ve put goldfish in there, and will have a wonderful time cleaning them out for you.

My in-laws had a similar situation with a pond in their front yard. They finally installed a tiny electric fence just the right height to keep out a raccoon, and at last they didn’t lose gold fish anymore.

@downtide Does your father have similar weather as Western NY? I promise to keep the bubbler going all winter. I’ve added quite a bit of vegetation and some small swimmy things that came along with it. Hopefully Goldie and her pals will enjoy them.

I will wait for a bit and see if

@snowberry I do have raccoons. In fact the other night my stealth cam took a nice series of pictures of a family with 3 little ones roaming around – not near the pond, but I’m sure they can visit.
The electric fence is a good idea. I already have everything I need and can temporarily string one up to dissuade visitors. My fencer is powerful and might be a bit of overkill. It is designed to contain cattle with a wire 10 miles long. ~Airplanes swerve and lights dim at the power plant when it pulses.

@downtide As you know it gets c-c-cold here. Water must be shut off from Dec to Mid Feb or the pipes will freeze. Often we will go the entire month of January without ever once getting above freezing. I will not be able to keep water flowing in the pond. I will however keep the bubbler going. Hopefully that will be enough.
Does your father use a light? I put the pond in the woods so it does not get much sunlight. I’d gladly sink a bulb into the water to keep them happy if that would help. I can put it on a timer to simulate day/night.

@downtide is right, an outdoor pond will need minimal feeding. Koi will generally over-winter better than the comets (feederfish), but they may make it. And you’ll find that they will breed for you in a pond setting.

@syz I am so glad both of you and @downtide showed up.
I was considering adding a filter to clarify the water but thought that might be counter-productive as it would filter out the nymphs and larvae the fish eat. Is there such a thing as a pond filter? I imagine a very low pressure pump over a large media. Maybe it is best to just let it be and let nature take its course?
When I turn off the bubbler the pond starts to clear. Turn it on and I can see the water become cloudy with silt. Maybe it will eventually clear up.
Is there some magic chemical that doesn’t harm fish but causes silt in solution to clump and settle to the bottom? I’d like some.

For a pond that small, I’d put in a filter. You can find some inexpensive ones that will help keep the pond from becoming stagnant and smelly.

Our weather is much milder here – not so cold in the winter and not so hot in the summer. But your pond is 50% deeper, which should accommodate the difference. This reminds me – you’ll need to make sure there’s shade in the summer; overhanging trees or something man-made over at least part of the pond, and dense vegetation in the water. Carp don’t handle heat as well as they manage the cold.

He doesn’t use a light, at least not for the fish’s benefit, but he does have a light in the water to “show off” when he has guests round in the evening. It won’t upset them if you use one but they won’t suffer if you don’t.

You should still use a bottom filter. Fish poop and it all goes to the bottom. But you don’t want to lose the silt at this time of year. The fish will need it in the winter when the pond freezes. Best leave it as it is for now, then in the spring (maybe not next year, but the year after), drain the pond, dredge out most of the silt (you still need to keep some for underwater vegetation) and then refill it. Relocate the fish to a temporary tank first, of course. The reason I’m suggesting leaving it next year is because you have just a few small fish for the size of the pond, it’s nowhere near stocked to capacity. Of course in a year they’ll grow and breed, so you’ll need to do it eventually.

When you re-fill a freshwater pond you don’t have to leave it weeks or even days to “season” it. Just allow the temperature to settle before you reintroduce the fish. If possible, sit the temporary tank in the pond not allowing the water to mix, just let the two come to the same temperature gradually. But on the whole, carp and goldfish are hardy creatures and easy to care for, and even if you make mistakes they’ll forgive you.

The pond is well shaded all the time. It is in the woods. That might not be the best but that is the way it is. I am not going to cut down trees so it can have more light. .

Both of you are in agreement about the filter. Aren’t you worried it will suck up the nymphs and other water life? I’d end up having to pay money to feed them!

Tonight I will put 3 more bags of drainage rock (on top of the 12 I put down earlier this year) around the pond to act as a walking path. It will look really nice.

The filters just aren’t that efficient in a pond setting. Mostly, it helps keep the water moving – there will still be plenty of creepy crawlies.

Great! I see that a nice little waterfall is available. That would filter and add oxygen.

I have O2 tanks here. I could set the regulator down and have it bubble into the pond if it ever needed a boost.

It just occurred to me I should be filling the pond with my well water, not tap water. It is cheaper and does not have chlorine.

I like this thread so much! I’m learning a lot, and your excitement, @LuckyGuy, is lovely! :]

@longgone Thank you. I am enjoying this. I also see that this little project can end up costing a fortune. I went to the pet store today to buy a couple of slider turtles. I thought they used to be about 50 cents to $1.00 and were about 1.5 inches in diameter. Nope, not any more. New York State does not allow the sale of small turtles. They must be at least 4 inches in diameter and end up costing $30–40! What the ?! For something that will wander off ?! I don’t think so!!!

Why did NYS make that rule, you might ask? Because the turtles can carry salmonella and little kids could put them in their mouths. Ugh!

Go out into your stream and find a big assed snapper, 30 or 40 pounds. Then watch the carnage.

@LuckyGuy: You can get small turtles in Chinatown. They’re illegal but you can get them. That’s where mine are from.

A public servent that cheats, Your ass is grass

@Adirondackwannabe: I didn’t say I purchased them. Someone gave them to my daughter as a gift. I wasn’t happy at the time but now I like them. They’re pretty cool pets. It’s fascinating how they grow and I try to make their environment a place they will thrive.

You know I’m kidding.

@Adirondackwannabe: I knew. I just had to tell you how much fun turtles are.

@LuckyGuy Regarding the bubbler in the winter, sure, keep that on, but try a water heater they put in stock tanks (for cattle). It will keep the water from freezing, and the bubbler should help to circulate the water. Turning off a light at night would allow your water to freeze, which you don’t want. When the leaves are off the trees in winter, your pond will still get plenty of light.

Well a big assed snapper could do some damage.

@snowberry I have strip heaters and can easily put one in. It might not be necessary. I figure the pond is so deep even if the top 1— 2 ft freeze, the bottom few feet will still be liquid. This is not your normal shallow water pond. This is an impact crater – as deep as the backhoe could reach.

Frogs don’t need food, especially if they showed up on their own. There are plenty of water bugs, mosquito larvae, etc. for them.

@snowberry The do seem to be fine so far. There are (were) plenty of bugs flying around. It is interesting to note how far they are straying from the water now. In the beginning they would sit on the rocks right near the water’s edge. Then they moved back about 6 inches onto the stone path and would jump into the water when I approached. Now that are about a foot from the edge and make a big leap into the water with a kerplunk when I approach. I’m sure there is a study somewhere that discusses this frog behavior.
I will hold off on leaving any food until winter approaches and insects disappear.

Once winter arrives, the frogs will bury themselves in mud and hibernate until it warms up again. No need to worry about feeding them. In the spring you’ll see scads of little tadpoles.