Another winter pond question

[livetogarden]

We got snow yesterday and our pond still has plants that have not been trimmed down and sunk to the bottom. Because of our fire and DH and I having burned feet we were not able to get in the pond to do this job. I called 4 pond companies, 1 said he would be out within an hour (that was 6 weeks ago and we're still waiting....that's 1 long hour!!!), 1 was supposed to call me back....left message with gal who answered...never did even though I made a couple more calls, 1 didn't even bother answering the phone and the last 1 never returned the call from message I left on the machine. Do these companies have so much work they don't need more? So here we are with snow and ice and my pond isn't winterized. I did put the de-icer in and we have the fountain still running. There is a lot of surface that's open at this time. Are my poor fish doomed since the plants are still in the pond?

[Kittyzee]

Cath, I have hornwort and anacharis in the pond now also, my pond is partially covered with ice.  The fish are layering right now because it's cold.  I have a plant that I trimmed and sunk to the bottom because it's a marginal and the fish like it to hide in too.  I don't think you are doomed to lose your fish because you didn't winterize like you normally do.  You can still trim and sink marginals as long as the water is open     (you probably don't wanna hear that, huh?) .  There have been years when I don't get the marginals sunk either, didn't hurt the fish but it wasn't so good on the marginals...   It's been down in the teens here at night and my fish and plants look fine in the pond, but this is just the beginning.  I don't have koi to worry about.  Just remember to keep a hole open and some air to them and come spring they will probably be fine.

I don't think these companies are busy at all, but I think they let a lot of their staff go this time of year and are really shorthanded.  Some of them may not even be open all week long or on the weekends.   

[livetogarden]

Thanks LuAnn. I don't feel like I doomed my poor fish now. I actually called these companies a couple days after the fire so it would have been mid October. We were about to winterize it when our fire happened. We asked the insurance if it would cover this since neither of us could get in the water. They said yes, but that's as far as it went since no one was interested in the job.

[Julles]

Not calling people back is common in the trades, for some reason.  I can't tell you how many times I've heard, "I phoned the painter, but he never called me back." 

I don't now how they stay in business, with such poor business practice. 

[Kris]

I usually have some plants in the pond over the winter.  Some how the fish always seem to "make off" with a marginal or 2 that I never seem to be able to find until the following summer.  I just put my heaters in to keep some surface open & leave my waterfall running.  I do make sure my aerator & pump are a good 18" up off the bottom so I don't disturb the "warm" layer, but all my fish have survived just fine for the last 3 winters like that.  I think your fish will be fine!  Your feet however have got to be painful!

[livetogarden]

You guys are making me feel much better. I no longer feel like my fish have a death sentence....thanks!!
Kris....my feet are ok now but hubby's still swell by the end of a work day. His burns were much worse than mine....poor guy.