I'm seeing quite a few dead or dying redear sunfish in my Northern Ohio pond. Just yesterday I walked around the 1/2 acre pond and saw about six dead fish near the edge and two that were still alive but dying - all 4 to 5 inches. Last week I saw a fish near the middle flopping around, obviously dying.

I don't know much about fish diseases, so would appreciate any suggestions.

It's been a tough winter for redears. They're actually native to parts south, and even there they are dying, as there will be a shortage this year from suppliers in Arkansas.

That said, there is some conjecture on the site among some of us that considering many of the redears that are sold for pond stocking originate in Arkansas, they may not be as adaptable to our winters, especially like the severe one we just had. Add to that ponds being small bodies of water are subject to fast water temp drops in fall and early winter, which may be stressful to a fish that is living in marginal conditions already. And adding a diffuser to prevent winterkill may drop water temps under the ice, which could be another stressor.

The redears that are living in northern waters for several generations since being naturalized may have adapted through natural selection. OTOH they may be better able to survive in deeper lakes that have more stable water temps.

I appreciate the information. Thanks.

Is it possible for 2-3" RES stocked in early Fall of last year to be 6 to 7 inches long now (and fat)? I only put 25 in a 1 acre pond full of FHM, and just saw a dead sunfish this size washed up on the bank (maybe bigger). The coloration was gone.

I don't believe so. To much growth for early fall, no growth in the winter and now we are just getting out of record or near record lows for spring so far.

I am doubtful myself, but I am at a loss for how this fish got into the pond.

Maybe a sunfish snuck in with your FHM stock????

When did you stock FHM's?

I went through them before adding, but maybe I missed one.

This sunfish has a hole through it, maybe made by a blue heron. There is a pond about 100 yards away that has bluegill, but there is absolutely no way for them to swim into my pond, even during heavy flooding. The dead fish is still laying there and is about 8 to 9 inches long. I am hoping a heron might have carried it over and was unable to swallow it. I did move plants in from a bond with bluegill, but only eggs could reasonably been with them (water lilies and emergent plants). I did not think that sunfish attached eggs to plants?

I've been dragging some FA out of the pond around part of the shoreline. Occasionally I will find a little 3/4 to 1" BG flopping around when I pull the FA out. Who knows how many might be stuck in the thick matte. If there are that size in there most likely there are even smaller ones that I don't see.

Maybe some tiny fish got transferred with the plant material?

Just ideas of potential possibilities.

Anything is possible, but I was only relocating emergents and lily pads. If I got a pair of BG in there, my plans for a SMB pond are shot.

It is possible for a heron to carry one that far.. I'd been skeptical a few weeks ago if I hadn't seen one fly off with one speared out of my pond just recently and it was pushing 8 inches..

Forgive me if I missed it but is this a new pond, drained and dried, drained and standing water, or what?

We've all seen herons spear something they can't swallow but I've never seen them move ir very far. But I have seen others animals move dead fish a good distance including dogs and cats after the heron spears them.

It was a new pond dug in a dry gully two years ago. I stocked FHM and GSH the first year, and RES and YP last fall. I did move water lilies and reeds in from another pond with BG, but I am pretty sure that I did not move in small fish though, but maybe eggs on the foliage. I have not seen a single sunfish nest (or any other nest) ever in this new pond. The coloration is gone from this dead fish, but it is between 8 and 9 inches long and pretty stout.

RAH, you sure the RES were 100% RES?

Bingo Johnny

Can you take a photo of your dead fish? Even with the colors washed out on it, I or another member should be able to ID which species it is...

I think that it is now gone. Every redear was checked for a red spot, but I cannot imagine that a 3 inch bluegill could grow to 8 inches since last fall. Am I wrong?

It would be highly unlikely to impossible in my opinion.

My ignorant thoughts exactly.

All the res put in were 3" or larger?
And every single one was Checked for the red ear..??

Could a friend or neighbor have "helped" you put some fish in your pond?

All had a red ear, and were 2 to 3" long. We only put in 25, so checking them was not hard. I do not think that anyone put any fish in based on its location, but I cannot be sure. I really am hoping that this fish got to the bank of the pond after it was dead.

Set you out some traps if there was an 8" BG there is a good chance there was another and they could of spawned only way to tell is to check the fish population in the pond..

Picture of the dead fish.

100% bluegill male I'd say.. and I would have to think found on the edge of your pond it came from your pond.. but hard to say without fishing it our putting some traps out.. and if it ain't your pond it's a miracle or a blessing in disguise of what could show up in there..

I have used a large fish-tank net in the small amount of weeds on the edge, and only caught what appear to be FHM. I also have never seen any nests. The BG would likely keep me from making this a SMB pond. I have also seen no signs of the YP. How large do RES need to be to spawn? I suspect I'll see nests once they start, but they were only 2-3" when stocked last fall, and I found 2 of the 25 stocked, dead.

Definately NOT a RES. That ear tab looks long for a pure BG tho.

I agree with Scott, definitely not a RES. I agree with BGK that it is a BG and likely a male. Since you said you have a near by pond with BG in it, I suppose it is possible a heron dropped it near your pond accidentally.

I does look like a Blue Heron hit that BG.

I think it is probably to big for a blue heron to swallow. It definitely looked like that is what killed it though. I do think that I once saw a blue heron that I spooked fly off with a catfish, but it all happened quickly, so I cannot be sure.

Many years ago in Minnesota I was fishing a river and took a 3# np from a heron that I watched it catch. Dinner, only fish I "caught".

I know for a fact a GBH will carry off a 7-8 inch BG wouldn't have believed it myself if I hadn't seen it just a couple weeks ago..

A blue heron can eat an 8"+ BG, I have seen it first hand. Here are a few videos of herons eating fish.

More reasons to hate those bastards.. I had them pretty scared stiff last year couple new young bucks in town guess I have to shoe them who the boss is

Now lets see a show of hands of the people who thought "I hope you choke on that fish!"

So how many pounds of Aqua-Max does it take to make an 8" BG to make a GBH meal for a day?

Answer................ too many.

Have one that stops by every day at sunset if I am not around. A year old pond sure attracts lots of waterfowl.