Dead Fish Cancel The title field is required!

1. Hardy Andrew

   
   8/17/2011 4:08 AM

   Wasn't really sure where to put this post. But yesterday right before an event was to go out. I had 4 members tell me of dead fish and frogs in one of my ponds. This occurred a couple of years ago on a larger scale and was determined to be a result of a sudden change in water temperature. I was threatened by a player that he would call the local environmental authority, and of course he said we got pesticides in the pond!!! Other then pulling the fish out (like I did last time) I'm not sure what I can do to prevent this. The pond is in front of a green but the green hasn't had anything applied to it in over a week and I don't even get within the 10 meter buffer. Antone else ever have sudden death of aquatic life??

   
   
   
   
2. Larry Allan

   

   0 posts
   
   8/17/2011 5:08 AM

   We had it happen about 10 years ago. The pond was orange with dead bloated goldfish. To this day I have never figured out what happened. Nothing had been applied, no rain events to wash any residue into the pond. Based on the numbers we currently see it certainly didn't kill them all but at the time it sure looked as though it did. I put the low man on the totem pole out there with a net to remove the carcasses. He periodically barfed but got the job done

   
   
   
   
3. Keith Lamb

   

   3 posts
   
   8/17/2011 5:08 AM

   One cause can be low O2 levels. Ponds can reach a point where due to the amount of vegetation and fish the levels of O2 can collapse causing this to happen. The pond will eventually rebalance itself out. We call it a pond turnover. I've never tested O2 levels, but I'm sure there is a way to check total dissolved O2. Tell the golfer not to hurt himself jumping to conclusions.

   
   
   
   
4. Steven Huffstutler

   

   11 posts
   
   8/17/2011 7:08 AM

   I had 3 ponds turn over last winter, every Buzzard for 40 miles was hanging out here for about a week and we had 2 Bobcats and one Panther that got in on the feast. The members complained, but the buzzards eventually cleaned them up and moved on. Didn't smell too good, though.
   
   Regards,
   
   Steve

   
   
   
   
5. Mark Van Lienden

   

   14 posts
   
   8/17/2011 7:08 AM

   Some alge can produce a poisonous bloom.

   
   
   
   
6. Cecala Randal

   
   8/17/2011 8:08 AM

   I would go with Keith on the dissolved oxygen levels. As elevation, temperature, and organic matter increase, your dissolved oxygen decreases. For the last Anaheim show I got smoked off the basketball court in Oracle, Arizona
   ( Tucson, Scottsdale, Vegas run ). Oxygen level difference between Florida Gulf Coast and 4500 feet elevation busted my gut.
   
   There are dropper tests you can do for DO and adjust for temp and elevation. Breaking up thermal layers and water aeration are good ideas.
   
   www.epi.state.nc.us/epi/oee/bluegreen.html says blue green algae are not toxic to fish
   
   Michael Rogers
   Down to Earth Water Management
   Golf Industry Liaison / Wastewater Solutions

   
   
   
   
7. Green Robert B

   
   8/17/2011 8:08 AM

   I also agree with the oxygen levels. Two times a year in the Midwest that we really need pond aerators - ice cover in the winter and summer heat. The resulting fish kills are not usually linked to any pesticide applications. During Spring and Fall the oxygen levels are normally good and the pond turns over regularly and naturally.

   
   
   
   
8. Ronald Conard

   

   4 posts
   
   8/17/2011 9:08 AM

   Most likely your lake turned over. This is common as the season changes. Can you pull a water sample and test for any pesticide you may have sprayed recently?

   
   
   
   
9. Fleegel Timothy

   
   8/17/2011 10:08 AM

   I'm out in WA on the desert side of the Cascades and we go through the same thing. Our irrigation lake is stocked with triploid trout. There is very little vegetation in the lake and it's not uncommon for the water to get to 80* or higher. Low oxygen levels happen because of the high water temperatures. You're not alone on this one.

   
   
   
   
10. William Smith

    

    0 posts
    
    8/17/2011 10:08 AM

    I also had this happen about 10 years ago. Our fish were mostly bluegills and I had members swear it was a chemical kill. I knew we didn't cause it with chemicals so I called our state EPA and Department of Natural Resources. EPA came out and tested the water and said we had low O2 levels. The algea would bloom during the day in the heat and die off at night causing the low levels. DNR said it was very common for this to happen to bluegill or any of the smaller fish.
    
    Bill Smith
    Panther Creek CC
    Springfield, IL

    
    
    
    
11. Keith Lamb

    

    3 posts
    
    8/17/2011 11:08 AM

    On the other hand, It's probably most definitely pesticides. I mean they're dead right? Yep pesticides.

    
    
    
    
12. Richard Lavine

    

    3 posts
    
    8/17/2011 11:08 AM

    Just like Bill posted, I had a similar fish kill many years ago. I made the first call to State Fish & Game. They said very matter-of-factly, 'nighttime fish kill' and seemed to be ok with that. We cleaned up the fish and went on. I learned about the oxygen cycle and algae, and have since had a few smaller scale incidences. The bottom line on this is if you manage a small lake of some sort, eventually something like this will happen.

    
    
    
    
13. Wilkinson Gaeren S

    
    8/18/2011 4:08 AM

    Hi
    The best solution is not to feed the fish during very hot weather and to aerate the ponds as much as possible to cool and oxygenate, the warmer the water the less the available oxygen.
    
    Cheers
    G

    
    
    
    
14. Keith Lamb

    

    3 posts
    
    8/18/2011 5:08 AM

    1. I don't go out and feed my fish. Can't imagine many that have a "fish feeding" program.
    
    2. I have 14 ponds...I'm not going to install aerators in every one. Not economically feasible.
    
    3. Pond turnover to me is nature re-balancing itself. Not all fish die and O2 stabilizes soon after.
    
    Peace

    
    
    
    
15. Satterwhite Kerry

    
    8/22/2011 2:08 PM

    It is probably the result of thermal destratification that causes a rapid loss of oxygen. I've seen it a couple of times in the middle of summer when it's hot out and you get a thunderstorm.
    
    Aeration or having a constant flow of water in the ponds helps.

    
    
    
    
16. Robinson John B

    
    8/29/2011 8:08 PM

    So glad i looked on the forums tonight! I also have had this happen years ago when I was the low man on the totem with the net in my hand and the question running through my head,"Why did this happen?" I had heard several times that it was attributed to the change in the oxygen levels but never from a source that I would call credible. Just yesterday I had a crew member show me alot of dead and some dying smaller bluegill in one of our ponds. The fish were exhibiting odd behavior in that they looked like they were trying to get their mouth out of the water and then diving back down. This only occurred in the one lake and although it is connected to other lakes it may be much shallower than the rest. It also made me wonder if Irene going by the east side of the state had anything to do with it??? Our weather pattern did change as far as winds and humidity for that two day period almost 180 from what it usually is. Hmmm? i know it messed a lot of us humans up..Why not fish?
    
    John B. Robinson