Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations DEAD FISH - OH MY! OH MY! HELP

We dug a one acre pond (6 to 15+ deep) last summer. In Sept06 pond when it was about 6’ deep, I put 200 bluegill 3-5”; 50 ea 4-6” catfish, 40 ea 2-3” L/M Bass and 2000 fatheads. In Dec06 I added 200 ea Georgia Giant (experiment), and 1000 ea Gambusa minnows. All was fine, next to very little fish dead—maybe 6 that I actually saw. This spring the pond is full , and I placed a large order to finish up for now (was to have been delivered but they asked that we pick them up, only had to drive 25 minutes to home)—700 3-5” bluegill; 40 8-9" L/M Bass, 4000 fatheads and a couple of albino catfish. A week later, I notice over a dozen dead bass (thinking maybe just one bag of the 4 was a problem). The fishery put 100 bluegill to each bag and 10 large bass to a bag with water and oxygen. Here it is another week passed and I noticed a smell at the overflow pipe Saturday. Today—Tuesday as I was working around the top of the dam of the pond, the wind was pushing the water towards my end, I now have close to 100 more dead fish (mostly bluegill and about 6 more of my large mouth bass). Is this normal dead from the 2nd batch?? I thought with the luck of the first round, the second would have been minimal too. And these dead are the only ones I saw, who knows how many I didn’t walk around counting or will surface. There are various rock barriers and sunken trees throughout. I have an automatic fish feeder and I do go out every few days and throw more out (as I just love to watch the fish come up to the dock and eat). Maybe I’m not feeding them enough??? Guess I got to rake up dead fish tomorrow (don’t like them floating around). We have a windmill in the deep area to aerate. We haven’t put any chemical in the pond other than a colorant 2 months ago. PLEASE HELP, WHAT AM I DOING WRONG! ON A GOOD NOTE, the fish that are eating are getting bigger and very aggressive eaters.

Don't panic. There is almost always some loss when fish are transferred. The fact that is a very good sign - it strongly argues that the problem was with the new stockers, not the pond.

Even counting lost BG, I think you have beau coup + forage (especially for up North). If you are NOT managing for large bass, you may be a little light on LMB. If I were you, I think I might look into adding a few (25?) more mid-size (5"-9" range) bass this year or advanced juveniles (10"-12") next year - perhaps from a different source, just to enhance genetic diversity.

Maybe nothing. Not unusual to have some morts when stocking. Yours are high if what is dying are the new ones. The fact that some of the fish are doing well and eating indicates that some factors are ok and you don't have a system wide problem. While you wait and watch read this thread from the archives on fish kills.

http://www.pondboss.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=22;t=000038

Thanks for the input. It had turned cold and was raining the day we picked them up and transferred them. Definitely the new ones that were dying. I do want and need to add the 25 plus big bass (and was inline with your thinking of getting them from another fishery). Originally I was going to add 100 large bass inlieu of the 40, glad I only got 40 this time with this death thing. Will try another place.

A couple of thoughts and questions. Most hatcheries that I am familiar with will not transport large fish like 4-5 in BG and 6-10 in LMB in bags. To much potential for problems. Fish have to be handled correctly when stocking or morts will go way up. A 5in. BG can puncture a plastic bag with a spine. How did the extra FH do ? Have you seen them dying ?

I think I would hold off on any extra LMB for now. Here is why. To much uncertainty in the status of your fish. You don't have a good idea of how many BG you have or LMB. Some have died - how many? In addition you do not know how the GG and BG will interact. You can't count on GG to reproduce like BG so they don't count as producers (or only a little 1 in 10 ). In addition the GG may disrupt the BG spawn. I think I would wait until fall and try and assess the population status. Then , as Theo says , you can think about advanced LMB 10in. as needed.

Ok, sounds good...i want to get this population right. I spoke with the Hatchery lady today and seems just me thus far (of course, there were only 2 of us that bought substantial amount---i really wanted them delivered, your reasons are why. I will wait, I do have substantial fish in there and like you said, I really don't know where I'm at now other than low on bass for sure as I would have bought more but at $2.25 a pop--i worried about just what is happening, happening. The bass ranged 8 - 10 inches and 10 to a bag. Going pull the stinky dead ones out. Thanks for giving me your help.

IMO that is way too many large? bass in 1 acre. Why so many? Was it recommended by the hatchery?

Yes. I went outside yesterday and pulled about maybe 10 deadones out, the rest of the dead had sunk so they're whatever happens to them in water normally. No more major pile of dead ones appearing anywhere in pond--thank goodness! On a very, very good note, my fish continue to aggressively eat and i sat there an hour an a bench on the dock just feeding and watching them flippin' out the water and just biting all over the place where I threw feed--so neat. My dog is intrigued by it too. I will wait until summer and try to do some kind of mix check to see where I'm at.

I noticed in a post you made in another thread that you're from around Muncie as I am. Sure would like to know what hatchery you bought this batch of fish from. I think I would like to avoid them.