Dying Gizzard Shad

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Dying Gizzard Shad #231915 08/22/10 11:24 AM
Joined: Aug 2010 Posts: 2 alabama D deepsouth OP
OP deepsouth D Joined: Aug 2010 Posts: 2 alabama	5 acre established pond-appr. 30-40 adult gizzard shad, 12"long died within a two day period.We have had a hot, dry summer,what little rain is short and heavy.During this two day period, there was heaving top feeding both mornings. NO OTHER FISH HAVE DIED and these GS are all exactly the same size. My pond is spring fed, managed and was stocked in 2002-2003 with LMB & bream. Bass and bream caught appear healthy. Keep bass population managed w/fishing.I have an areation system that has been down since last summer. Have had decent algea bloom on and off through this summer. Any idea why this isolated group of fish have died? Thanks

Re: Dying Gizzard Shad deepsouth #231916 08/22/10 11:26 AM
Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 7,615 Likes: 7 Pond in No CA, Me in So CA J jeffhasapond Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
jeffhasapond Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker J Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 7,615 Likes: 7 Pond in No CA, Me in So CA	Hello deepsouth and welcome to Pond Boss. Hang on for some expert opinions. JHAP ~~~~~~~~~~ "My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives." ...Hedley Lamarr (that's Hedley not Hedy)

Re: Dying Gizzard Shad jeffhasapond #231947 08/22/10 07:42 PM
Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 21,751 Likes: 385 Miss. E ewest Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
ewest Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker E Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 21,751 Likes: 385 Miss.	Old age and stress is a possible cause. Any changes in the water's look or smell ?

Re: Dying Gizzard Shad ewest #231953 08/22/10 08:26 PM
Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 1,721 gainesville texas J james holt Lunker
james holt Lunker J Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 1,721 gainesville texas	Shad have to have very good water quality to survive. They die very easily and are difficult to keep alive in a live well. I believe you probably have a water quality issue. My guess is that if the water continues to decline you will start to have other fish die also.

Re: Dying Gizzard Shad james holt #231955 08/22/10 08:29 PM
Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 1,721 gainesville texas J james holt Lunker
james holt Lunker J Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 1,721 gainesville texas	If you are still feeding in this hot of weather i would stop

Re: Dying Gizzard Shad james holt #232008 08/23/10 01:23 PM
Joined: Aug 2002 Posts: 20,043 Likes: 1 Northeastern Indiana Cecil Baird1 Hall of Fame Lunker
Cecil Baird1 Hall of Fame Lunker Joined: Aug 2002 Posts: 20,043 Likes: 1 Northeastern Indiana	Are you sure the "heavy top feeding" wasn't piping fish? That is, fish that are low on oxygen will poke the surface and it can look like they are feeding. Or was this in conjunction with actually feeding of pellets? If pigs could fly bacon would be harder to come by and there would be a lot of damaged trees.

Re: Dying Gizzard Shad Cecil Baird1 #232065 08/23/10 09:43 PM
Joined: Aug 2010 Posts: 2 alabama D deepsouth OP
OP deepsouth D Joined: Aug 2010 Posts: 2 alabama	I think the fish were feeding. They were popping the top of the water pretty hard. There was an insect hatch during this time. I don't feed in the summer. I can't figure out why the dying was isolated to an exact size and no more fish have died since those two days. The only thing unusual is the hot dry summer we've had.