Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Fish dying

Hello, all!

I have a new 4 acre pond. It is a few inches from full pool. We have been stocking the pond all spring with hook and line caught gills. We also put 30# of fhm in. It has been cold and windy most of the spring and we haven't been seeing the fish. We see a minnow now and then. When the water clears up it is very clear. I haven't tested it but would guess 8-10 feet visibility. In the last few weeks we have been finding a few dead gills on shore. Yesterday we found 6. One still had it's color and I saw nothing visible that would indicate a problem. These fish this size would have been put in at least 3 weeks ago or more. So, it wasn't a death right after we stocked them. We did have a 1.5" heavy rain 2 days prior to the deaths. My gut is telling me Ph issue. I will check it today and report. So, would a Ph change kill all the fish we stocked? That's my worst fear. My only other thought would be they are trying to spawn and are stressing to death. I stocked some 9-11" gills and red ear last week and haven't seen any of them on shore. No dead minnows either other than a handful after the stock....that was expected. Any thoughts?

Travis

Ph problems could kill but since you are not seeing any of them that were recently stocked, it probably isn't PH.

Stress from hook and line catching too, maybe they got gut hooked or hit there gills.

Some new info for you all. I went out to the pond to do some tests. Ph was at the top of my test kit at 7.6. I will have to get a wide range kit to get how high it really is. I would guess 8.0-8.4. Kh was 100-200ppm range so I don't think buffeting would be an issue. Correct me if I'm wrong about this? So ph swing shouldn't be the issue. 0 ammonia. More details. We put 1000 2" red ear in last fall in late October. I found a dead one this morning. They are now about 4". I saw another one by the dock. It swam up close to shore and just sat there. I ended up catching it on the first try with my hands. So, something is going on here. It isn't spawn or hooks? Any ideas or things I should check? I brought the fish home and put it in a tank with the pond water to monitor it. Might be some little white spots on it? I can't tell. Tiny, I thought I could see them from above it in the pond. I can't see it at the moment in the fish tank.

Travis

Travis:

Hooked fish are more stressed than you believe. It can take up to 3 weeks for any injuries to manifest themselves. As for the RES, what percentage is the number of dead/dying/sick fish of what you stocked? If it's under 10% I wouldn't sweat it. Fish die, that's a fact. For what reason? There are times when we will never know.

It's good that you checked the water, but if it was my pond, I wouldn't be alarmed.

You could have broght in a pathogen in with the transferred BG that the RES weren't exposed to in the hatchery. That's one of the problems with transferring fish, you never know what you're getting. If you do any more transferring of fish, I'd give serious consideration to a salt bath for the fish, and at least 2 water changes so any of the doner pond water doesn't get into your pond. Think of it as a sterilization for the fish, and a couple of rinses after that.

Cecil would have more insight as to what could be brought in on the fish.....

We have seen only 2 red ear so far...both yesterday..and now one crappie from last year. About 12 fish total in the last week. Water looked different yesterday. Maybe a bloom. I'm new to this so I don't recognize it. We were willing to do bucket fish to get the genetics we wanted in the pond. Hopefully we didn't bring something in to the pond that will wipe it out. I never thought of salt baths. I do that with tropical fish. I guess nothing is ever easy. I guess all we can do now is wait and see. Itsnjust hard to watch when you are trying to get the pond established.

Travis

The longer you do it, the easier it gets just like tropical fish. When you set up your first tank there was a lot to learn, wasn't there?

Yeah, and of course I decided to get into discus. I'm still learning with them. I know things will get easier and more enjoyable.

It continues. Saw a couple of fish with patches of white on them. Had I known bucket stocking has such a high mortality rate I would have never of done it. It sucks to see those big gills and ears die. I only hope some of them make it. As usual I'm learning the hard way. My local hatchery only does hybrids so I thought I could just stock some adults to get the gills going. So far no good. Found 25 dead fish today on shore.

Travis

Lots of anglers think just because the fish swims away it lives. YOu are learning what really happens especially after transportation.

Yeah, I'm feeling pretty horrible right now.

Travis

Moving hook captured fish to pond doesn't mean they will die soon. Not always. It depends on many things:
1)what kind of fish it? Trouts are very sensitive. Perch isn't.
2)is it hot or cold weather outside? When it's cold, fish is less sensitive to injuries.
3)how deep was hook in fish? If it's swallowed deep enough and you manage to pull it out then don't wonder if you find this fish dead next day (if it doesn't die sooner). If only lips are damaged then usually it's ok (specially for perch type fish).
4)how do you transport them (and where were they kept while you were fishing other fish)? Is there enough oxygen for fish?
5)is your pond similar to lake/river where you caught your fish? If they aren't then such sudden change may be unpleasant for the fish.
I know many cases when people move hook caught fish from lake to pond and they manage to acclimatize well.

What's wrong in your case? Who knows...maybe some of fish were sick?