Over the past week, I have pulled 7 large dead tilapia from a pond in NE Florida all in the 18" & 4# range. The buzzards disposed of 6 & the 7th just completely disappeared overnight. Deaths, I suspect from stress from the recent cold spell & old age. The lowest the surface temps got was 60 degrees? I do understand that most all dead fish go to the bottom of the pond but I am surprised that I have not seen at least a couple of small dead tilapia floating near shore. Perhaps they were all eaten when they got slow from the cold? The smaller are supposed to be more sensitive to the cold. The smaller fish would be from a more recent & different stocking, more pure blue tilapia genetics & they are still swimming? The big boys were always seen when I hand threw food, but never the small tilapia. I did observed a few 6" & smaller hiding near shore.

Comments appreciated.