Nothing is worse for pond owners than to wake up one morning and find dead fish in the pond. Understanding causes of fish kills and steps you can take to prevent them will help you keep a healthy environment for your fish. Following are frequently asked questions about fish kills.
Q: Why do fish kills occur?A: Fish kills can occur for a variety of reasons. In most cases, fish kills are a direct result of insufficient oxygen levels in the water. Fish require oxygen to survive and when there is not enough oxygen masses of fish will die at the same time. Bad bacteria in the water are another cause of fish kills. Sometimes bacteria enter the water from the air or it can be the result of plants or weeds in the pond. If you live in a residential area, you might experience a fish kill because of runoff that dilutes water quality. Reliance on certain herbicides can also be problematic if overused.
Q: What can I do to prevent fish kills in my pond during summer and winter months?
A: Fish kills are more likely to occur during extreme changes in weather patterns such as during long periods of cloudy weather, heat waves, and freezing temperatures. Regardless of the season, water temperature plays a major role in the health of pond fish. Weather can also impact the quality of the water or cause an excessive amount of debris to enter the pond, blocking the surface of the pond. When this happens, sunlight is unable to breach the surface and provide necessary oxygen to fish. The best way to prevent weather-related fish kills is to routinely test the quality of the water in your pond so you can address problems quickly. You might also notice fish struggling to breathe. This is a good indication you need to replenish the oxygen levels in the pond water.
Q: What role does pond management play in preventing fish kills?A: Pond management is essential to prevent fish kills. Quality Pond Aerator Systems is an absolute must as part of your pond management program. Aeration systems help to keep ponds clean of oxygen-killing debris, including decomposing plants and leaves, which can negatively impact the health of your fish. A good way to prevent fish kill from bad bacteria is to counter it with beneficial bacteria. You also want to keep the surface of the pond as clean as possible so that sufficient sunlight can nourish algae and plant life. Without sun, plants and algae are not able to rely on photosynthesis for nourishment. If they have to convert to respiration, they end up using oxygen the fish need to survive. And when this occurs for a long enough period of time, fish suffocate which results in large fish kills.
Prevention is really the only way to avoid fish kill – it is not possible to stop this type of occurrence once it has began. Water quality is generally within your control. So by actively managing the nutrients and oxygen in your pond water, you have a good chance of never experiencing fish kills.