I pulled a real boner.......killed all of my CNBG with 1.5 gallons of Cutrine-Plus(my fault...listened to someone instead of reading instructions.... on a .8 acre pond in east Texas. Over a 5 day period, I pulled 85 7-11" and 22 < 6" dead CNBG out of the pond. This brainless stunt only killed 4 LMB ....2-8 to 10", 1-13" and 1-15".
Since then, I have caught numerous LMB, ranging from 10"-18",but no bluegill. I had been feeding them pellets but not one taker since.
Where can I get adult CNBG and what size do they need to be to survive the existing bass population? My goals WERE and still are: nice size LMB and CNBG "delicious".
Thanks in advance.
BarO - since most of your LMB survived, I suspect the problem wasn't a dissolved-oxygen crash (due to killing too much algae at one time). Had that occured, your LMB would likely be the first floaters. So, for the CUTRINE to have caused the fish-kill, your water's alkalinity would have to be very low. Do you know the water's alkalinity? Then again, if that was the cause of your CNBG mortality, I would think that your LMB would have been equally affected - if not moreso. What makes you think that the CUTRINE treatment killed the CNBG - while many LMB survived? Just curious.
Kelly,
I have just owned this place since this past October so I have very limited experience with a stocked pond. Since then, I have not had any fish kill until the day after adding the Cutrine. First, I noticed the BG in very shallow water and acting slightly sluggish. They quit feeding on the top water pellets, which I have been feeding them since middle of February. The next 5 days I found the following BG dead/floating 40,16,22,26 and 5. During that time I found only 4 LMB. Do not know my alkalinity. I thought it had to be the Cutrine.
It very well could have been the CUTRINE. I'm not discounting that likelihood at all. When any form of copper is applied in low-alkaline waters, it may be directly toxic to fish. Based on your observations and geographic location, I suspect your water had insufficient alkalinity to allow a safe treatment. I'm simply puzzled that your CNBG appeared to be more sensitive than the LMB. I would have presumed the later would be the first to go. I'm also surprised that the LMB seem to be actively feeding after a treatment that was evidently lethal on the CNBG.
Does anyone know if CNBG have a significantly lower tolerance to copper than LMB?
You two guys are thinking in the correct direction. Bluegill and other very closely related sunfishes have tolerences to copper of 1.35 ppm (mg/L) whereas LMB has a tolerence of 2.0 ppm (mg/L). This is why more of the CNBG died compared to the LMB.
BarO :
Do not feel alone . Others including me have made similar mistakes . I learned that high copper content in a low alkalinity situation can cause the BG to not be able to uptake o2 . Apparently the process does not reduce the o2 level but only the ability of the BG and bass to make use of the avalible o2.
As Meadowlark suggests it is the journey that is important and I agree. Do not be discouraged keep on . You may want to check out the Texas Cooperative Extension Service on line for its publication on management of recreational fish ponds. Good Luck --ewest