# Dead fish



## JohnD (Sep 11, 2007)

Neighbor's pond is probably 2 acres. Plenty of weeds for oxygen production. Huge bluegills and lots of them. After that hot spell, hundreds of very large male bluegills dead along the banks. Lots of bass too. I fished it some today just to check it out. Caught several smaller bluegills and a few large ones, so they aren't cleaned out. Could warm water have been the problem killing large numbers of fish? The pond is fairly deep. No crops closeby so crop spray contamination shouldn't have been an issue. Any one have any input on what may have caused the kill. The pic is an example of the quality of the bluegills my grand daughters have been catching out of the pond.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

High temps and low oxygen are more than likely the culprit. Low oxygen can happen whether there are weeds in the pond or not.

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## [email protected] (Dec 22, 2006)

lots of dead large fish usually means low DO. Piping at the surface is a tell tale sign when a low DO fish kill is in progress. Weeds use oxyen when photosynthesis isn't taking place (at night) which is partly why they should be kept in check.


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## JohnD (Sep 11, 2007)

Thanks for the responses. Pretty much what I figured about the oxygen. Just didn't understand why it was all the bigger fish of each species that died.


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## [email protected] (Dec 22, 2006)

Big fish are always the first to go as it takes more O2 for their bodies to function older fish are slower to recover than young fish as well. 

It's like a fat old guy vs. a skinny young guy climbing a flight of stairs. Start lowering the oxygen and see which one dies first.


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## JohnD (Sep 11, 2007)

I can relate to and understand the fat old man scenario. You must know me. HEHEHEHE


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## hang_loose (Apr 2, 2008)

And me too!


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