Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Winter die off

Hey, first winter/ spring with life in it. What’s the average amount (if any) should be floating? I’ve pulled maybe 20 gills, 3 perch and a hundreds of minnows (they got trapped in the ice so I’m not too worried about why they died) but just curious. I’ve stocked a couple hundred in the 1/4 acre pond I have but I’m just wondering why they died.. if it was genetics or something else. Why would they die and not all the others

Varying sizes, all looked “healthy” didn’t look like they starved

Could be lack of Oxygen. OR a quick water temp change killed them. It could take 2-3 weeks for a fish to float (IF it ever does float) in colder water temps.

The minnows are worrysome - what kind of minnows were they (species and size), and do you know when they were stocked, what the water temp was of the transport water AND the water temp of the pond at the time they were stocked?

The fatheads didn’t worry me cause it was a week the top of the ice melted, hundreds of them swam on the surface and then it froze again.. so yeah they were doomed. As for a rapid change that might make the most sense. I turned the deep end aeration on during the 40-50 degree days but maybe it was just too much for them.

But otherwise this is shouldn’t be a yearly thing? Definitely “my fault” kinda deal?

Hopefully those are all that come up but I just found another perch last night