Five Tips to Prevent Winter Fish Kill in your pond.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction: Five Tips to prevent Winter Fish Kill
Consider five tips to minimize Winter Fish Kill
Fish Day at Pond Lake Management
Conclusion
Key learnings
Iced over ponds deprive fish of oxygenation and lead to the build-up of noxious gases. Keep a hole in the ice surface.
Run aeration systems year-round to help oxygenate the water.
If necessary, restock your fish population at the Pond Lake Management Fish Day in North Carolina.
Winter Fish Kill can be prevented by following these five easy tips to winterize your pond.
No Ventilation, no fresh air! A winter locked under an iced-over pond can be extremely harmful to your pond’s fish population. Fortunately, in North Carolina iced over ponds are not usually an issue but pond owners need to take care to prevent winter fish kill.
Winter fish kill is a term used to describe the loss of fish over the winter because dissolved oxygen was lacking in a waterbody. Submerged vegetation and algae create oxygen through the process of photosynthesis. Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources “Winterkill and Other Fish Kills“
By pushing warmer water up, De-icers create an hole in the icy water surface, keeping boats and docks safe from damaging ice buildup. De-icers create thrust that means more open water to better protect your property. Not only do bubblers protect your in-water property, they put more oxygen in the water to help keep fish and aquatic species healthy throughout the winter.
1. Clean out brush and other vegetation that will decay and create pockets of harmful gas in the pond. These harmful gases can take the place of beneficial oxygenation that fish need in order to survive. This is one of the major reasons for fish kill in the winter months.
2. If your pond does ice over in the winter months, open a sizeable opening in the ice which will let some of the toxic gases to dissipate and allow oxygen to enter the pond.
3. Run aeration systems with a de-icer year-round. This helps to keep the ice from forming as the air bubbles from the aerators rise to the surface. The bubbling action adds oxygen back into the water that the fish need to survive during the winter months. For winter activities like ice skating and ice fishing, ensure that you stay a safe distance away from the aeration air holes.
4. If you plan to run aeration year-round move your system to shallower waters. This allows the deeper water to remain warmer where the fish can congregate during the cooler months. By having a warmer area in the pond, fish will not over-chill and have a better chance of survival.
5.If you feed your fish – either manually or with an automatic fish feeder – stop feeding them when water temperatures reaches 40° F, stop feeding your fish until spring.
Take care of your pond in the winter months, follow these, “Seven tips to winterize your pond”
Fish Day at Pond Lake Management
At Pond Lake Management, we understand the importance of maintaining a healthy fish population in your pond or lake. That’s why we offer an annual Fish Day event every spring to help restock and replenish your fish population. While we always strive to prevent Winter Fish Kill events, sometimes they are unavoidable and can result in the loss of some fish.
But don’t worry, our Fish Day event is here to help! Our team at Pond Lake Management in Greensboro, North Carolina will also provide expert advice on proper stocking rates and management techniques to ensure the long-term health of your fish population.
Sign-up to receive details of the event.
Subscribe to our Fish Day email list.
Conclusion:
Avoiding Winter Fish Kill in your Residential, Commercial, or Agricultural Pond can be minimized with an annual pond maintenance plan you should take seriously if temperatures fall significantly in North Carolina. While some fish kill might be unavoidable, a good effort to prepare your pond for winter will help your pond fish population survive and thrive.
If you need help with avoiding fish kill in your pond call Pond Lake Management at 336-706-3300 or complete our Request a Pond Assessment form.
Recent Better Pond Blog Posts
Bio Film vs. Algae
8 Reasons to Install a Pond Fountain
10 Reasons for a Pond Maintenance Plan
