‘‘Twas at the pond this evening looking around before more rain this weekend and took a few pics to document progress made during past few weeks. I see this black “ball” in a couple of the pics after I get home.

Cropped it to blow up but still can’t tell much.

My signature shows what I’ve stocked. I have lots of tadpoles in shallow water. These remind me of a BH swarm, I’ve seen in my youth. Any ideas what they may be, I haven’t stocked any catfish of any type.

That's the only thing I know of that swarms like that (BH)..

I will second a BH swarm.

Tadpole ball?

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tadpole_ball_from_pookot_lake.JPG

Thanks for your opinions, I'm just unfamiliar with the lifecycle of my pond denizens. Hopefully, it's just tadpoles. If it is BH, it's not the end of the world. My main goal is to have a pond to recreate in and around, BH are fun to catch and eat. I could have a real problem like Shorty's chemical kill.

Always sad to see a fish kill. I had one large one and one small one in my largest pond after snow-covered ice.

I've had BH almost since day one. I've also seen plenty of video on BH fry and they almost always seem to be accompanied by an adult when they swim up.

Every time I've seen a ball of BH here they've been 3-5" long, but I haven't seen those for a couple of years now. I know they're spawning, as I get a couple of 6" fish come to feed on pellets. Too small to be my original interlopers.

I'm pretty sure those you photographed are BH with as tight a ball as they've made. May be one reason so many BH fry dont make it....easy pickings.

I am not saying it is not bullheads but I have seen tiny lmb school like that before in a very muddy pond. I have never seen them school anywhere else though.

I've seen FHM herded into a ball by predators as well.

Interesting points and possibilities, BH would have to be bucket stocked or hitchhikers in my two FHM purchases. FHM have been in water about 18 months, LMB since last fall. The LMB did have a few 5 to 6 inchers, but most were smaller. Water has yet to be even remotely clear, a few inches at best.
Thanks for the thought starters. When the rains calm down I think a worm under a bobber may clear up the BH mystery, unless there are only two of course. My stocking quantities has been under guidelines, slow and steady is my motto.

My fhm swarm like that when I put fish food out