Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Raising Forage and Bait Dying shiners

Just over a month ago, we added some fish to our new pond. 10,000 fatheads and several hundred shiners were part of the mix.

Everything seemed fine until last week. Now, every day we are finding one or two dead shiners. Nothing else. Plus we can see some struggling along the shoreline.

There aren't any predators large enough to do any damage....I don't think.

Any ideas what may be happening, or should I even worry about it?

Thanks.

Don't worry about it..

Latent deaths within 2-4 wks are due to handling stresses and maybe lack of good food where they were stocked. In ponds with larger fish these weak dying fish are quickly consumed and not ever seen.

Aguita:
No worries, I had a few dead ones after I stocked as well and each day after maybe 1 more. They looked otherwise fine (no rash, bloating etc) so probably handling stress.

Outside of me feeding the shiners, what is considered good food for them in the pond?

If they eat insects or mosquito eggs I have tons. I never see the shiners during the day but last night for the first time had some good 'plops' and splashes as little fish came to the top and even cleared the top, not sure if they were shiners or FHM but there are no other panfish so neat to see some top water activity for the first time. I was going to put on my stadium lighting and see if that would draw them up to the top but it was chilly last night and I decided to try on a warmer night in the future.

The power meter plate spins pretty fast when I throw the breaker on the stadium lights.

When invertebrate foods appear abundant then handling stress is the cause of most post stocking deaths.

One other thing not already mentioned is that minnows have relatively short lifespans and FHM usually die after spawning. So lacking predators to pick them off as they slow down, some deaths could be from old age.

I only have FH and GSH in my pond and I think they have plenty to eat but once a day I go around the pond throwing in cheap dog pellets from the Dollar Store and the minnows go crazy chasing after the pellets. As the pellets soak up and soften they break down from all of the fish play.