Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Bucket stocking fish

He originally said that he didn't bucket stock any fish in to his pond, but upon further questioning, he did, but it was almost 5 years ago. He wanted to know that if it was that long ago, why didn't it show up earlier? The reason is that it probably did, but it was in such a small number that it wasn't a problem until it reached the tipping point and started spreading like wildfire.

His pond is an acre and a quarter. It is 18' deep in the middle. So, that means that he has approximately 11.25 acre feet of water in his pond.

His treatment options are as follows:
1) Use Nautique at 0.8 ppb dosage and re-apply at 14-21 day intervals until all signs of it are gone. That is 27 gallons per treatment at a chemical cost of $1,225.00.

2)Use Cutrine Ultra and Hydrothol 191. 2.4 gallons of Cutrine Ultra and 1 qt. of Hydrothol per AC/Ft of water and re-treat every 14-21 day intervals until signs of it are gone. That is a per treatment chemical cost of $1,142.61

3) Use Clipper at the rate of 200 ppb and do not re-treat any sooner than 28 days from previous application. That is a per treatment chemical cost of $2,037.26. One thing that is not factored into that price is any pH adjustments if required.

So, that just goes to show you how bucket stocking can go wrong in a big way. Even if you do your due diligence and try to do everything right.

The only thing that he could have done to further minimize his exposure to transferring an invasive species to his pond would have been to do a triple rinse of the fish (i.e. take them and put them in a stock tank filled with his pond water, net them out and put them in another stock tank filled with his pond water, do that a 3rd time), then do a salt dip/bath to the fish. In all those instances, do it far enough away from the pond so none of that tank water reaches the pond when the tanks are emptied.

Even after all that there are no guarantees that none of the oocytes would be present.....

So now I strongly recommend against any bucket stocking of any kind, after seeing what he will have to spend to try to eradicate it from his pond. Trying to save a few bucks on fish backfired and bit him in the butt in a BIG way.