Here is the story. I filled the pond after 21,000 lbs of Benonite was added to stop the leaks.
The results were as follows. Ph was 6.8, ammonia was .36, hardness was 52, and alkalinity was 17.
The oxygen levels were 7.

A friend of mine bought 5,000 GG from Ken’s and told me I could come get some. We caught 100 Friday and 100 Saturday and brought them home. (about a 20 minute drive)

I am still losing some water but not terrible, but I am still putting water in the pond.

The first 100 fish didn’t look well because somewhere on the way home the aerator came unplugged. That was Friday night.

I had a few to die, but yesterday when I got home I had 20 dead. I have been losing a few here and there, but I feel like it is getting worst.

I took some pictures of one that looked like he was sick and a dead one. There is spots right behind their side fins and then have a weird slime on their fins.

Hope these pictures help. Please let me know what I can do to fix this. I talked to Ken yesterday afternoon and he seem to think it might be from the move.

They are still dying and if there is anything I can do, I want to do it.

Lost 37 more today.
If you know what this might be please let me know. I am losing them fast!

Thanks!
Tim

First the to consider is did you temper the water? If the pH or water temperatures are way different it can shock the fish and make them vulnerable to diease.

Next. How did you handle the fish? Did you wet your hands? Did the fish flop around on the ground? Were the fish crowded in the holding tank?

I don't think the aerator coming unplugged would matter on such a short trip, but you never know.

I am very new to the pond managing. I put 100 GG ranging from 3" to 6" long in a 120 quart cooler. I put a few ice cubes in the water because the water was so hot in the 2-3 inches of water I was dipping from. When I got them home, I poured them in the pond.
We caught the fish with rod and reels and kept them in an open trap set in the edge of the pond we were fishing them out of. Normal handling of the fish to take them off the hook, etc. Most the time my hands where wet, is the not good to handle them dry handed.

Would the water temp differences hurt them?
I feel my pond is somewhat cooler than his pond was.

Tim

Dumping the fish in the water is not a good thing to do. The fish dont have time to adjust the different water quality and get stressed.

You want to have your hands wet so that the slime on the fish is not removed.

The temperature difference can hurt them but only if it is a significant diiference, like 10-15 degrees.

those are really nice pics for such a sad subject. i think chris has hit on the important points (i.e. handling procedures and acclimation) and I suspect that is the case, but perhaps the experts here may have some other ideas/suggestions.

just for discussion, for the amount of time and effort involved to catch and transport them from yer friends pond (even though i know that could be alot of fun), you might try a small shipment direct from the source and see how they do.

My pH is 6.8, not sure what his is.

How is the best way to put the fish in the pond so they can adjust?

I have been waiting for GG from Ken, but's not shipping right now. (I wonder why)

Anyway, I thought this wouldn't be a problem, especially because we were so close.

I guess my next question is.... Is there anything I can do at this point to help some of them survive?

Tim

The best thing to do is slowly add water from your pond into the container that the fish are in. I dont know how much but adding 25% every 5 minutes should be good. That will allow the fish time to adjust to the water quality and for the water temperature to change. After 20-30 minutes you can dump them in the pond.

I dont think you can do anything now but somebody else may be able to help you.

Fish in the images above appear to be getting fungus growth from handling stress problems. I notice the infections on the sides of the fish that correspond to where they were probably hand gripped when removing the hooked fish. HOw big of a container was use to transport fish? and where were fish held and for how long before the trip to your pond?

There is nothing that you can do to help the first batch of fish except to learn from your first mistakes.
Just because a fish swims away does not mean it will be alive two weeks later.

Defintely the after effects of handling stress in warm water and probably shock from not tempering the water. This is not a good time of year to move fish especially in Florida. It's possible not all your fish will die however. It should peak out in a few days. What you are seeing is bacteria and fungus attaking the fish that were stressed beyond the point of no return. It may take a few days for this to happen so like Bill says just because they swam off doesn't mean they are fine.

Move your next batch in cooler water and add non iodized sslt to the water. If the difference between your cooler water and pond water is more than 5 degrees you should temper them.

Thanks Guys, I hope a few of them make it.
Once the GG get established, will I be able to catch and release them without this happening. I didn't feel that I was rough with them by no means.

One more question, what does the salt water do?

Tim

They wont actually ever get 'established'. More of a put and take situation. I would order some from the breeder this fall. You will need a low level predator to eat the offspring. CC or HSB.

Probably be able to catch and release them but I would give them plenty of time to recuperate. Not good to catch and release in hot water.

Salt reduces stress by keeping the osmotic salt in balance. It's important to add the correct amount though. Between .5 and 1 percent.

Well, I thought I would update everyone, BTW thanks for all the help from the nice people on this forum.
Well one day, I lost 37 GG, the next I lost 17, yesterday I only lost 3, and today I only lost 1. So hopely so will pull thru. I have a safe 80 GG left.

Thanks again,
Tim

Cecil, can you expound on the use of salt in hauling fish? I've never done it and don't really understand the technical/biological reasons. I've heard the word osmotic but don't have an understanding of the physiology involved. I think fish hauling and the handling when stocking might me a good PB mag topic/story.

http://srac.tamu.edu/tmppdfs/329734-392f...ed93db13764714f

Use salt for transport
Common table salt is widely
used in fish transport. It should
contain no iodine. The concentration
of salts in the blood of most
fish is 1 to 1.2 percent. Adding
salt to the transport water
reduces the mineral difference
between the water and fish blood
which lessens the effects caused
by this osmotic imbalance. Salt
is added to make solutions of .05
to 1 percent (500 to 10,000 ppm),
depending on the species of fish.
This is equivalent to 0.4 to 8
pounds of salt per 100 gallons of
water. Use the lower rates on
freshwater fish.


http://srac.tamu.edu/tmppdfs/329734-393f...ed93db13764714f

Bluegill
Table 3 provides guidelines for
transporting bluegill at temperatures
between 65° and 80° F and
up to 16 hours. Bluegill are normally
hauled with 0.3 to 0.5 percent
salt.

Thanks Eric. I learned a lot.

One more ting you can do is bend the barb down on the hook and alot of the time you can flip the fish off the hook without ever touching the fish.