Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Drained small pond, how to kill remaining fish....

I drained my small (1/3 acre) pond containing bluegill and bass this week. I pulled out all the big fish and many of the others died. There are several small pockets of water remaining with many small fish that are still alive. I am planning on liming the pond bottom before allowing it to refill. Will dumping lots of lime into these small water pockets kill the small fish that remain? I am going to restock with catfish only and don't want any small bluegill or bass to remain. Are there other cost effective measures I can take to insure that no fish survive before the pond refills? There is alot of structure in and around the small pockets of water, so I can't just remove the fish with a net.

Thanks for any help!

TB

If you apply enough lime you should raise the PH enough to make it lethal to the fish.

I will probably get scolded for this but another option is Clorox Bleach after the liming (the liming is good for the pond bottom so don't forego it). You could direct a hose to each water hole, and with a funnel on your end dump bleach into each hole -- if you can't reach the holes by foot.

Although very toxic to fish initially the Clorox disapates very rapidly. I did this in a very small holding pond to kill the snails that had migrated to the remaining water left. They seemed to be impervious to a lime treatment.

Another option if it gets cold enough in you area in winter is to just let the pockets freeze after you have draw down as much water as possible.

Shame on you, Cecil! There's your scolding...

IF a person were to want to do such a thing, I believe they could take the organism they wished to kill and place it in five gallons of water, then incrementally add the sodium hypochlorite until death. An equation could then be derived, knowing the volume of water to be treated, to apply the exact right amount. That way they wouldn't risk applying too much.

Of course I would NEVER advocate such measures.

Sermon.
US Fish and Wildlife Service (Fish Hatchery Management. 1982-1992. pgs 90, 93) used to recommend using chlorine for disinfecting fish ponds and wild fish removal. I don't think they recommend chlorine treatment any more for the following reasons.

Adding reactive clorine to natural waters that contain organic compounds has been discovered to create chemicals in a group called THM, TCM, and DCM's; (hereafter TCM's). These are residuals of the chlorine treatment. Chlorine ions react with the organic compounds present in the water to form new chemicals. Technical names for your further study are Trihalomethane, Trichloromethane, Dichloromethane, Chlorine dioxide, bromodichloromethane, dibromodichloromethane and chloroform. These complex chemicals are nonpolar which means they are fat or oil soluable, relatively stable and will deposit in plants & animals and they will travel up through the food chain which is also called bioaccumulative. This means that eventually the fish will contain TCM's if they are raised in the water body that possesses TCM's. If you eat the fish then you absorb the TCM's from the fish. TCM's are still being studied but they have affinities for carcenogenicity and mugtigenicity i.e. cancer causing and known to deform sperm or sex gametes in some animals. One should be able to research more about this by using a web search engine. I have not done this and would be interested in a summary of what anyone may locate about this topic.

My tongue was planted firmly in cheek...

I haven't tried using chlorine. My fish are quite adept at dying on their own.

Perhaps if anyone really wants to eradicate their fish they could just follow some of my management advice. :p

By the way TB, a local management specialist may be able to order and apply rotenone for you. Last I checked the chemical cost was about $60/acre-foot. Rotenone is an extract from rotenone-bearing plants in the family Leguminosae. I believe it is applied as a liquid containing from 2.5% to 5% rotenone. Rotenone kills fish by blocking oxygen uptake which causes the fish to suffocate. Necessary concentrations are from 1-2mg/L.

There is a "insectide" chemical called Endosulphen.
It is very effective for knocking off caterpillars in leaf crops (eg lettuce)etc, and has a short withholding period.
I am led to believe it has a brilliant hit rate in knocking off aquatic life too.
I am also led to believe you do not need very much of it, for example, rinsing out an empty Endolsulphen tin works wonders in cleaning out a dam.
But as I said, that is just what I have heard and I could be completely wrong.
Cheers
Phillip

There is a "insectide" chemical called Endosulphen.
It is very effective for knocking off caterpillars in leaf crops (eg lettuce)etc, and has a short withholding period.
I am led to believe it has a brilliant hit rate in knocking off aquatic life too.
I am also led to believe you do not need very much of it, for example, rinsing out an empty Endolsulphen tin works wonders in cleaning out a dam.
But as I said, that is just what I have heard and I could be completely wrong.
Cheers
Phillip

I doubt that you will have to do a whole lot. Low oxygen with winter type temps should take care of it. Birds and coons are pretty effective fish eliminators. Of course, like Bruce says, Rotenone is a sure thing.

Welcome Phill, sure enjoyed my 5 days in your city back in 1986 when I visited with the USS Ramsey during the Queens Birthday Celebration had lots of fun at Jupiters Casino and made sure I did my part to help the economy!

Bob

bruce, great posts!

Gidday Bob,
I didn't move over to Aussie Land till '88.
I understand your comment re contributing to the economy.
When I pulled in to Subic Bay on HMS Albion in '71, it was obvious Olongopo's economy was run by income from the US Navy.
Likewise Wanchi (Hong Kong) came alive when the Brit Far East Fleet was in, and it positively boomed when the 7th Fleet made an appearance. Never seen so many worn out bar girls
Oh to be young again.

TB - re your problem. Ask your local Nurserymans Assn what causes fish kills, or ask your local Ag Chemical Company (the ones that sell fertilizers/insecticides/fungicides etc). They should have a specialist to advise you. Should cost very little: be 100% effective: have no lasting effects.
Cheers
Phillip

Gidday Bob,
I didn't move over to Aussie Land till '88.
I understand your comment re contributing to the economy.
When I pulled in to Subic Bay on HMS Albion in '71, it was obvious Olongopo's economy was run by income from the US Navy.
Likewise Wanchi (Hong Kong) came alive when the Brit Far East Fleet was in, and it positively boomed when the 7th Fleet made an appearance. Never seen so many worn out bar girls
Oh to be young again.

TB - re your problem. Ask your local Nurserymans Assn what causes fish kills, or ask your local Ag Chemical Company (the ones that sell fertilizers/insecticides/fungicides etc). They should have a specialist to advise you. Should cost very little: be 100% effective: have no lasting effects.
Cheers
Phillip