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#494650 08/08/18 08:22 PM
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New to the forum, I just had a ~1/4 acre pond built approximately 7' on one end and 10' on the other. The pond has a few small springs as well as runoff from surrounding woods feeding it. I recently purchased FHM and 25 hybrid bluegills. This is day 4 after stocking and I have found 300-400 dead minnows floating. I noticed some are missing their tails and covered in a green algae. The bluegills were small 2-3", could they just be eating the tails? Any help is appreciated, I wish I found this site sooner!

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It's hard to say from here without more information. Have you tested the water? Looked at the pH? Also possible that the fish added were not acclimated to the pond water. In other words, did you lay your bag or bags containing the new fish in the pond water where the temps of the to waters become the same before you added them to the pond? Need more information. And Welcome to the PB forum.


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The pH tested at 7, I don't have a pond water test kit so this is using pool/spa strips. I did acclimate the bags before releasing. The pond has many frogs and salamanders if that is any indication to water quality.
Thanks!

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I'm no expert that's for sure. How many FHM's did you add, would you say there are more living than dead ones floating? The algae concerns me a little, but with out seeing a pic it's hard to say for sure. Could have been stress, I have seen fungus on fish that were stressed but would think it would take more than 4 days for the fungus and as far as the tails, it's possible something besides fish ate the tails. Hopefully, someone else with more experience will come up with an answer for you.


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10lbs of FHM were added. I should also mention that I do go out and feed every night around 7pm. I still have a lot of very active FHM coming up for food.

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I stocked my small pond with FHM a year before stocking 500 HBG, 100 RES, and 40 HSB. The pond was plum full of FHM's and I noticed zero dead FHM's after stocking the game fish. Just my experience, but I'd bet that your gills are not just biting tails off. Hopefully you are just experiencing a partial die-off of FHM's and the missing tails are from bugs, turtles, or maybe the fish (if the FHM's are on the larger side compared to your HBG). Usually the first thing to get eaten off of a dead fish is the abdomen, especially if the thing eating it is smaller than the dead fish. Otherwise, if the "eater" is bigger, it just eats the whole thing.

Strange indeed.


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Like has been said it could have been stress from the handling/hauling/stocking and they just were weakened to the point they got a fungal disease.

FHM typically only live to about 18 months age. So if you do not currently have predators big enough to eat the adults (and make them disappear) as time goes by you will have some natural mortality from old age. After they have spawned several times they just get old and slow down so something eats them. But if there is nothing to eat them they die of old age.

Probably just the stress of stocking.


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I have had that happen. The FHM were stressed from handling/in the fish truck too long. The fish truck guy replaced them on the next visit.

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I'll go along with the 2 Johns. Fatheads are tough and can often live through water issues. You may have gotten some sick or stressed fish. Interesting that the BG didn't have a problem so I don't expect water issues.


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Thanks for the input guys! I also talked with the place I purchased the fish from and they offered to replace the FHM.

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I recall an article about the Government stocking fhm’s below a dam to check water quality when they weren’t releasing water. They are mostly bullet proof re water quality


It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.

Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.

Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
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I know this is an older post but if you know you have Tiger salamander in larval stage, they will clean house on the Fatheads..Extremely aggressive compared to their land locked stage counterpart.

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If ya can source any BNM or SFS add them. if ya build/add spawning structure they will be a much better source of forage. Enjoy the pond and the forum.


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You should not have more than 5% mortalities when stocking FH in normal situations. Glad they will replace them.

















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