Winter reduction of fish growth is one of the major concerns in aquaculture. Using the principle of greenhouse mediated raised temperature, the issue has been addressed by examining the growth responses of some tropical fishes in polyculture (rohu, mrigal, bata, Japanese punti, grass carp, common carp, magur, freshwater prawn) and two stocking ratios (80:20 and 20:80) with surface and column feeder (catla, silver carp, rohu, Japanese punti and bata) and bottom feeder (mrigal and common carp). Advanced fry of these fishes were introduced separately in solar heated greenhouse and in open polyhouse (13 × 1.5 × 2 m3) placed in triplicate in a pond and reared for 120 or 98 days during the winter for two consecutive years. The rate of survival (20–83%) and net weight gained by different species of fish were distinctly higher in closed set up (0.22–2.95 g/day) than in open (4–66%; 0.11–1.80 g/day) ones in both trials. Among the species, warmth induced net weight gain was maximal for Japanese punti (196 g), followed by rohu (159 g), mrigal (115 g), grass carp (104 g), bata (36 g) and freshwater prawn (28 g) in polyculture. The frequency distribution of harvested fishes was skewed towards large fishes in solar heated greenhouse and smaller ones in open units. Water temperature ranged from 21.6–28.1 °C and 17.2–23.7 °C in the closed and open units, whereas mean temperature remained 4.5–5 °C higher in the former than in latter. There was no marked differences in total alkalinity (219–231 mg/l), inorganic carbon (289–417 mg/l), organic carbon (4.27–4.52 mg/l), dissolved oxygen (6.61–6.75 mg/l), total dissolved solids (420.48–423.74 mg/l) and conductivity (549.83–563.29 μs/cm) between the closed and open enclosures, and remained within the range for fish culture. The score values of the sum total of the integrated ecological conditions revealed that ~ 5 °C rise in water temperature during winter enhanced as high as 36% increased yield of fish (2546 kg/ha) over open units mediated through microbial driven augmented manure mineralization leading to increased primary productivity, zooplankton abundance and ecological integrity. In essence, the solar heated greenhouse would be of considerable use for circumventing the retarded growth during winter in tropical fishes. Display omitted •Winter reduction of fish growth is one of the major concerns in aquaculture.•The concept of greenhouse was employed in impeding the winter growth and restored the normal annual fish yield of some tropical fishes.•About 5ºC rise of water temperature in the mimicked greenhouse was capable of preventing winter reduction of fish growth and effective for enhancing the yield of 2546 kg/ha compared to ambient temperature in open units.•The rate of survival and net weight gain of different species of fish especially Japanese punti and fresh water prawn were distinctly higher in the mimicked greenhouse compared to open ones.•The score values of the sum total of the integrated ecological conditions revealed 36% enhanced fish yield due to ~ 5ºC rise in water temperature during winter, mediated through microbial driven enhanced manure mineralization leading to greater abundance of food and ecological integrity.