Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations losing rainbow trout

Turbidity could be an issue depending on amount of turbidity. If someone has been catching and releasing the trout then I suspect that is the main contributor to trout deaths at this point. Catch and release if very hard on trout when water is above 60F. Once the water reaches 72F at 6ft expect most trout to be close to dying. Often dead ones sink and are not seen at the surface. When they quit eating pellets at the surface water conditions highly stressed for trout in a small pond unless it has a large amount of cold water inflow and short water retention time.
JohnF is correct. Muck pellets in a new pond have little benefit. You would have been better off using that money for fish, fish food, or aeration items or a better digital thermometer with a 10ft probe and or getting the water shed well grassed/seeded to minimize turbidity.