I have an approx 1/3 acre pond, crystal clear water, can see all the way to the bottom. There is some chara and other vegetation on the bottom. I stocked some nice trout and about 7 lbs of fathead minnows for mosquito control, and forage. This means there are several thousand minnows in my little pond. Here's the thing, after we stocked them, I have yet to see a single minnow. Where are they? No dead ones, nothing on the outlet screen, and I haven't seen them swimming (like I said, it is virtually an aquarium it is so clear). Are they still there? Is there a way to find out where they are hanging out? I'd like to get them into the marshy area where I think the mosquitoes are breeding. I might get some more, and release them directly into the shallow marsh, but don't want to waste time and money if they are disappearing somehow.
I'm thinking about sticking my Go Pro on a pole and exploring, but wouldn't know where to look. Any ideas are appreciated for a longtime aquarium guy, but new pond boss.
Thanks in advance!
The trout ate most of them?
Welcome to PBF WL!
7lbs of FHM are roughly 1400 to 2100 fish. I don't know your water temps but I doubt they had time to spawn. I am with John F, the trout ate them. A lot of folks stock their FHM and let them spawn for at least a few months before stocking predators. That approach would allow 7 lbs of FHM to become 10s of thousands before the predators are introduced.
I get that the trout eat them, it's just that even the same day we stocked, I didn't see a single one after they dispersed, but I watched the trout all day (and not chasing minnows or feeding). As a side note, the trout often make what I call a "troutnado" in the bottom of the pond, a vortex disk of fish slowly going around and around counter-clockwise, pretty cool to see.
I have an osprey interested in the pond now, and bald eagle has a nest a half mile away, so some trout structure is the next order of business, especially with it being clear and pretty shallow.
I would say that with clear water and little structure they are hugging the bottom trying to avoid the trout.
I just stocked nearly 40 lbs of FHM in a 1.3 acre pond. From an hour to 2 days later, I have yet to see a single one. Admittedly my pond is not clear but there is little predation so all I'm saying is that a lot of minnows can hide pretty well and do it quickly....
I had the same thing happen to me when I stocked my FHM and again when I stocked $500 worth of fish. Saw very few to none in fall when stocked. I also have chara and clear but stained water. All the fish popped up again next summer. What I think happened is they all hide until summer when they spawn.
You likely will not see much of them till next summer. Lot of area for relative small amount of fish. Once they spawn next year you will have thousands times fish so easier to spot. Feeding next year will help with being able to see them.