Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Fish Kill

Well, let me say that my ignorant 19yr old step-son opened the Southern Excellance fertilizer container and dumped some in the pond on Sunday.( I didn't know about it)
I came home today and scooped up 138 bluegill (all different sizes) about 650 adult fathead minnows and 15 bass ( three different sizes)
All were dead for several hours. I originally stocked this .5 acre pond with 100 channel cats, 400 Coppernose/100 Redear bluegill and 1000 fatheads in Oct 2002 and 50 bass this June 2003. My question is; What should I do, leave as is or stock some more fish. If I need to add more fish, at what ratio. No catfish were found dead and don't know how many are at the bottom

IF that is an accurate count, then I think it will recover without restocking. I feel 50 bass in a .5 acre pond was too many anyway, so maybe the remaining bass will have better growth rates. If anything replace with 100 3-6 inch bluegill. Also are you sure it was from the excess fertilizer? What was the visibility?

Greg, Visablity was around 12".. On Monday it had alot of surface algae. Rained a little during the day yesterday and was overcast.
When I got home there was no more surface algae and lots of floating dead fish. I have two airators with bottom diffusers in this pond.
Any CLUE?

Ok.. it does sound like it could have been low DO due to 12 vis and cludy weather. Hopefully the rest of your fish are fine and the pond will return for you. The problem with a diffused air system is that it is little help with emergency oxygen needs like you needed the other day.

I scooped 3 more bass and about 6 bluegill last evening, all looked like original kill. This morning there were alot of minnows and a few cats
on the surface around the diffused water as if looking for O2, not gulping but swimming against the current. What is good to use for "emergency O2?
I thought the diffusers were the perfect setup. I do feed, so would dye be a better thing to use instead of fertilizing
Chime in

If you have an electric trolling motor and can mount it somewhere, hook it up so the top of the blade spin comes out of the water. Make sure the hub is still in the water to keep the seal cool. Turn it on and the cavitation will produce lots of surface spashing and move the water and bubbles away from the motor. Good luck.

Bob

Have not seen anymore dead fish. (Thank God). Fish don't seem to feed as good now?

Must have been low DO, anyway should I use the dye instead, since I feed or should I continue to fertilize?