How can gold fish live without food?

Question

My mom has a pound and she quits feeding the fish near winter and then turns off the pump. They sit their and float around not eating anything for the whole winter. How can they survive for like 3 months without food and in the freezing water?

I also heard a story of a women who would freeze her fish every time she went on a business meeting. Then when she got back she would unfreeze them and they would still be living? I was told this at the pet shop so I think it's an accurate story.

Answer 1

First, your Mom's fish. When the water gets cold, the fish are the same temp as the water and just go into a state of semi-hibernation. We can't do that here because it's too cold, but many parts of the country can overwinter carp with no problem. Many of our northern fish do exactly the same thing. There are usually enough insects around until the water freezes over for them to eat for quite a while and they also will munch off algae in the pond. How specifically you overwinter carp varies considerably from region to region.

The second story is totally made up. When you freeze a fish, its heart stops and it dies. It cannot be resuscitated. Someone was pulling someone's leg.

Answer 2

The first group of fish are in a state of hibernation, just as Doodlestuff said. Whenever the water temperature drops below 50oF, the fish will stop eating and become much less active, so they don't need to have food until the water warms up again.

The second story they way you heard it isn't true, but there are fish in the Arctic Ocean that are able to stay alive (and active) in water temperatures around freezing. They can do this because a special protein in their blood keeps it in a liquid state, even when the temperature would make any other animal's blood freeze. Here's an article about these: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1200/is_v130/ai_4563858?lstpn=article_results&lstpc=search&lstpr=external&lstprs=other&lstwid=1&lstwn=search_results&lstwp=body_middle

Answer 3

gold fish also eat plants so ponds usually have plants they wille eat the leaves or whatever they find there. and about the story i dont think is true I saw this program in discovery channel about some fish that gets dry in the mod when the rivers ran out of water and the next rain season they wake up but freezen a fish .. mmm.. dont think so

Answer 4

they'll easily bypass a week without food. Skipping a pair of days will probable income them as feeding dry food in simple terms might reason digestion issues, skipping some days to permit their gut "clean out" would be constructive! Or while you're feeling very paranoid, a pair of bits of blanched broccoli or spinach, or some products of cooked de-shelled pea will additionally help.

Answer 5

They can go without food for about a week, then they'll die of hunger.

That story may sound true, but it really isn't. Putting a fish in suspended animation will still make it starve to death.

~ZTM

Answer 6

they cant. you need to feed them every day. just a pinch though. i learned that the hard way. i fed them way too much like an ouch or something well they died. depending on how many fishe you have. ask your pet store guy. or lady.

Answer 7

o0o I love my gold fish, it's so cute and fat..I think it may die of heart disease,that's why I'm trying to put it on a diet and make it exercise.