Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Fish Kill

Hello Guys & Gals,
There is a local 7 acre pond that is 20+ years old (Southeastern Indiana) and I have been fortune to have fishing access there a few times a year. The fishing is great with lots of large bluegill and shellcracker- the bass are nice as well. Two weeks ago my buddy and I went there to catch some of the gills and shellcracker while they were spawning, and it was a great trip. We caught 63 fish with over half of them weight over a pound! A good day to say the least. My buddy returned last Sunday to catch a few more and found dead fish floating in a cove and tons more dead on the bottom. He said he fished for a while and only caught smaller fish- not the bruisers we are accustom to catch there. The pond did not have excessive vegetation, water clarity was good ~18”, the water temp was in the mid 70’s (shallow water). We did have a major dip in weather temp last Thursday and Friday down to the high 30’s. Could that have caused it? Should I send a water sample off to have checked for hazardous pollutants? If so, where the best place- maybe local water treatment??? Any advice you can give would be appreciated. I would like to know why it happened and how I can prevent, because I have 2 ponds of my own within a few miles of that one. Thanks in advance

Did you release the fish? If so is it possible these were the fish you released and the fish fir some reason were sensitive to stress?

I once knew a couple of guys that caught a bunch of bluegill and put them in fish baskets then decided to release them...

It sounds like an oxygen related kill. Larger fish died first ~ a cold snap and high winds can cause a turn over.

Sue:

Possibly, but the pond shouldn't be that devoid of O2 at the depths already. It is just warming up to the mid '70's after the long winter, and the pond would have turned over already once this Spring when the water went from <39°F to >39°F at the surface.

I'm wondering if someone didn't treat for aquatic vegetation while the fish were on the beds (in the bedding area)?

We're the dead fish confined to one cove? Had it been cloudy for a few days after the initial spring pond start up or rainy for many days? Anyone try a rogue weed spray "to help out"..

Thanks for the feedback and the questions-
Cecil- We kept all the fish that day and did not release any, but few 6 inch bass.
Sue- We had both- cold snap and high winds for a few days. By the way, I love the vertex system you sold me last year for my new pond- it's working great
Esshup- I will check with the owner to see if she treated the vegetation, but i'm betting it's a no.
Bluegillerkiller- I will make a trip tomorrow to see if the fish are in a central location. The pond is surrounded by corn and soybean fields, and everyone was finishing planting last week. we did have a few hard rains that could have washed chemicals into the water?????
THANKS FOR YOUR THOUGHTS FOLKS- I'LL LET YOU KNOW IF I LEARN MORE.

I'm betting on farm chemicals.

Me too. Maybe nitrogen (ammonia)?

Cecil, that's generally what is used and I'll also bet on that. It could be just about anything if it ran directly into that cove.

Up here (please correct me if I'm wrong, I'm not a farmer), many farmers use anhydrous ammonia as a pre-plant fertilizer for corn. Then after the corn has popped up and is "x" inches tall, they go and side dress with more fertilizer.

Very true.

That was my understanding too.

I have a farm field that dumps directly into my pond and I've never had a problem with chemicals I'm having a hard time blaming it on that but you never know..

Also I'm curious to find out if its consolidated to one area..

FWIW, I talked to a dirt guy today at a pond consult and he said that he noticed quite a number of ponds in this area this Spring (about 3 weeks ago) had dead fish floating. Not all large fish, not all small fish.

He didn't think it was from anyone spraying for aquatic vegetation, so I'm grasping at straws here.

I know what it was!

http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/31/world/earth-new-asteroid/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

Yeah, that ought to do it.

Hey Guys,
Sorry it took a while to get back, but over the weekend I got a chance to head over to pond for a detailed look. I noticed that the dead fish were all big bluegill with a few redear- no bass or crappie. Bluegill & Readear were on beds during the fish kill. I also noticed the farmer that leases the surrounding fields expanded the size of his fields this year by a couple of rounds, and on the north side of the pond there is now only 6 feet of grass between the pond and field. He had also planned corn a few days before my buddy noticed the kill, and yes they use nitrogen (ammonia)while planting. I'm sure this is the reason. Thanks for all your thoughts.

Kegger,

Do you have any pictures of the dead fish?
Anything look like a red rash on them?

Any dead minnows?
(BTW, what you thought were shiners, they are actually Bluntnose Minnows)

Not quite buying the Ammonia theory yet because that is an equal opportunity killer and should have had an effect on every species in the pond. May just be a disease of sorts.

JKB:

If the anhydrous leached into the pond, and it leached into the area that the BG were bedding first, well, you know where I'm going with it.

Would have had to be dumped in, not leached.

Why do you say that? Only takes a few parts per million to kill fish with ammonia.

Look it up!

No, you're the expert. You explain it.

No!, you look it up!

Naah. It's your case to make.

The burden of proof is on you.