Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Corrective stocking Initial Stocking Today

Just finished stocking 1600 CNBG, 400 RES, and 2000 FHM today. Is it natural to see a few dead fingerlings? Also, some of the fingerlings seem very lethargic.

A few dead ones will happen, lethargic is common.. Did you acclimate the fish good? You'll know tomorrow

No the guy that brought them out felt the water in both the pond and in his tank. Said it was close enough. This is from a reputable supplier.
The ones that did not make are not floating. If for some reason something happens overnight, will they be floating in the am? If not and they sink, how will I know?

Went out to the pond this morning and did not see any floaters nor any on the bottom close to the shore. I'm assuming I'm ok?

I think so. Ideally you don't want any morts, but we don't live in an ideal world. If you do the math, a few dead ones isn't even 1%.

My experience is that you should see less than 1% in the species that you mentioned. If it were Threadfin shad you can have mortalities of 10% or even greater. I have also had deliveries of threadfin were the losses were will under 1%.

But a few dead ones is no big deal.

Sounds normal to me from what you described.

Doesn't anyone think that's fishy (no pun intended) the supplier only touched the water.. Can he feel DO and other problems from touching water.. Just caught my eye..

Why would a fish supplier be doing water quality analysis on a pond you own? You are just buying fish! It's your job to make the pond suitable for the fish you just purchased! That's just plain silly!

Everytime I've EVER bought fish.. They've been acclimated.. Water DO/TEMP tested then pumped into the suppliers truck if they are not exactly the same.. Anybody can walk up say "yeah there the same I stuck my hand in there" Someone did that to me I'd tell them too get lost.. THAT'S JUST PLAIN SILLY LOL

He's selling the fish your not selling him your pond..

Any other test's your fish suppliers do when they drop them off?

Just curious.

He uses some kind of multi water tester.. But last time he was out he specifically mentioned temp/DO..

I have had fish delivered or helped others with stocking at least 100 times by the very best in the business (at least 8 different suppliers). I have never seen them not check the water temps using proper equipment and then tempering them if needed. If they cut corners and seem in a hurry don't use them. I would have stopped the guy and said I want the temps checked and by the way what type of water did they come from. I have seen HSB killed that way because they were in high alkalinity water from the hatchery and stocked into low alkalinity water. Within 48 hours half were dead - to much stress.

I've heard HSB should be acclimated to alkalinity but I heard it after mine were delivered, at the end of this summer when I have more delivered ill see what all is tested by him..

eric,
How long should one acclimate to alkalinity? I realize this is probably a "it depends" question that is a function of the alkalinity difference or levels.

Maybe it's just me, but as a supplier I'd be worried about possibly contaminating my truck with the pond water. With being in a Great Lake State, and the testing that we have to go thru, it isn't worth the risk. Plus, it'd mean more work for me having to decontaminate my truck after stocking that day.

Jones takes the fish out of the tank and weighs them in a 5 gal buket. Then the fish are transferred into a different colored bucket that actually touches the pond water. They keep their truck and tanks bio secure that way.

The point is not to stock fish into water that varies highly from what they were raised/transported in. It’s not just temps but chemically as well. Small variations are no big deal but large ones can be. I don't trust my hand at telling temp differences why should I trust the sellers. Use the right tools. If I was to have that HSB situation (300 to 20 alkalinity difference) they would go into a tank of the transport water outside the truck with supp DO source and gradually over a couple of days exchange the tank water with pond water. But long before that I would want the facts and try to raise my alkalinity up some.

Id hope they decontaminate the truck before loading anyways so they don't transfer something contaminated to my pond.. I would think decontaminating after a load would be good practice yeah more work but good practice..

I started the pond stocking last year. Your experince is similar to mine. I had to haul them 1.5 hours in bags and heat and I lost a few BG,RES and FHM but the LMB thrived.
Good luck on your stocking, they should do great!