Pond Boss Magazine
https://www.pondboss.com/images/userfiles/image/20130301193901_6_150by50orangewhyshouldsubscribejpeg.jpg
Advertisment
Newest Members
Shotgun01, Dan H, Stipker, LunkerHunt23, Jeanjules
18,451 Registered Users
Forum Statistics
Forums36
Topics40,902
Posts557,116
Members18,452
Most Online3,612
Jan 10th, 2023
Top Posters
esshup 28,420
ewest 21,475
Cecil Baird1 20,043
Bill Cody 15,112
Who's Online Now
2 members (Dave Davidson1, jpsdad), 719 guests, and 204 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 172
KapHn8d Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 172
Mornin' y'all!

I had a mini-pond built a couple years back and all has been well. We have really enjoyed the serene beauty of having a pond in our backyard with blooming lilies and lotus, the chorus serenade of who-knows-how-many types of frogs at night, and time spend with all the wildlife it supports (deer, birds, etc). There was a post here about it, but I initially stocked it with FHM/RR, CNBG, a few RES, four TP, and the handful of little goldfish that were in the galvanized stock tank on our property. The first month or so, I saw one or two fish didn't survive the introduction to the pond, but I have not (knock on wood) had any issues since. In fact, I don't believe I've seen a fish die since the first month or so of populating.

I intentionally didn't add any predator species to the pond, so unless the birds have brought in some eggs in the last two years, the species distribution should be as mentioned above. The exception, well until today, was Moby Dick. One May 31, 2018, I put one albino channel catfish (about 4 inches long) in the pond as a novelty. Sometimes neighborhood kids come and feed the fish (Purina Aquamax for the win!) and I thought it might be a fun experience to have a big white catfish playing hungry hippo before their delighted eyes. Well, that was the plan anyway.

I hadn't seen Moby in almost a year, so I didn't really know if he was still alive in the pond. This morning, he was floating. I scooped him out and was unable to see any puncture wounds, so I don't believe he fell prey to the Great Blue Heron I've been seeing recently... besides, I assume he would have been food had that been his demise. However, the catfish's skin seemed to be sloughing off... almost as if it was being shed. Is this typically due to a fungal or bacterial infection?

Some water logistics: I've had Vertex membrane bottom diffusers running 24/7 since there was water in the pond. I live in zone 8b and the pond is at most 1/10th of an acre and 7.5 feet deep in the center/deepest point. The water temperature this morning was 80 degrees Farenheit about 18 inches below the surface with a pH of 7.19

Here is a photo of the channel catfish's condition after scooping him out this morning.

I probably will not replace the fish since it was intended to be something fun for the kids and it never surface fed at any point in time. The furious splashes of the Bluegill will have to entertain them in lieu of Moby Dick. laugh

Thanks for any advice or help you might be able to offer me in solving the mystery. Obviously, my concern is danger to the remaining population of fish. I have not observed anything else unusual or of note and I'm at the pond every day. If there is something else I should look for, please let me know.

Cheers, friends!

/clayton



96.85840735 percent clayton... the rest is just pi.

We become what we think about.
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 2,213
Likes: 514
S
Offline
S
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 2,213
Likes: 514
That looks totally normal-skin wise.. The outer slime coat is deteriorating -normal on a dead cc. Cause of death?? Who knows for sure.

Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,344
Likes: 101
Offline
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,344
Likes: 101
+1 on what Snipe says...looks like it may have stayed submerged for a period before surfacing that allowed for some sloughing of the skin/coat.


Fish on!,
Noel
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 172
KapHn8d Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 172
Thanks, fellas... I appreciate the school'n. I haven't much experience with catfish, so this is good info.

cheers!
/c


96.85840735 percent clayton... the rest is just pi.

We become what we think about.

Link Copied to Clipboard
Today's Birthdays
cro, HC1968
Recent Posts
Relative weight charts in Excel ? Calculations?
by esshup - 03/29/24 01:06 AM
pond experience needed
by esshup - 03/29/24 12:45 AM
New pond middle TN: establishing food chain?
by Bill Cody - 03/28/24 07:57 PM
Happy Birthday Bob Lusk!!
by FireIsHot - 03/28/24 07:33 PM
Working on a .5acre disaster, I mean pond.
by PRCS - 03/28/24 06:39 PM
Fungus infection on fish
by nvcdl - 03/28/24 06:07 PM
Can anyone ID these minnows?
by Dylanfrely - 03/28/24 05:43 PM
1 year after stocking question
by esshup - 03/28/24 04:48 PM
Yellow Perch Spawn 2024
by H20fwler - 03/28/24 04:29 PM
New 2 acre pond stocking plan
by LANGSTER - 03/28/24 03:49 PM
Paper-shell crayfish and Japanese snails
by esshup - 03/28/24 10:39 AM
Newly Uploaded Images
Eagles Over The Pond Yesterday
Eagles Over The Pond Yesterday
by Tbar, December 10
Deer at Theo's 2023
Deer at Theo's 2023
by Theo Gallus, November 13
Minnow identification
Minnow identification
by Mike Troyer, October 6
Sharing the Food
Sharing the Food
by FishinRod, September 9
Nice BGxRES
Nice BGxRES
by Theo Gallus, July 28
Snake Identification
Snake Identification
by Rangersedge, July 12

� 2014 POND BOSS INC. all rights reserved USA and Worldwide

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5