Alone on a Saturday night, huh?

Don’t forget about heat. If your water gets too hot it will kill your fish. Heat causes a thermocline or a separation of oxygen in the water column. The top of the water will have oxygen and the bottom won’t. The fish will have to stay at the top of the pond and will die from heat exposure. Aerators will not only add oxygen but help keep your pond cool by bringing the bottom cool water to the surface and mix it with oxygen and cooling the surface water. Eventually you will no longer have a thermocline and have plenty of oxygen at the bottom of your pond where the fish can stay cool throughout the summers heat.

Try asking a fisheries biologist. Busch Wildlife is the headquarters for E Mo area. # 636-441-4554.

When you test a pond for oxygen, do it at several depths. Then check it at night. You’ll find a significant difference between night and day. Plant respiration produces carbon dioxide at night and oxygen during the day. Aerators do add oxygen but also mix what’s naturally occuring.

Catfish may be more susceptable to bacteria that grows more when water temps get high, even more so then other species. What are your water temps and are they normal for this time of year for you? Also if your pond has been experiencing lower inflow that could increase, water temps, bacteria numbers and also contribute to thermo cline if you are not getting enough turbulance to keep the water cycling.

Bryce

I contacted a local lake management guy, and they will be by this week. He said with the rain we have had over the last few months, that he can almost rule out low oxygen! He is going to look at our pond, and give me some recommendations on what I need for future success!

During the spawn, large male catfish fight each other over nesting cavities, fight anything that tries to enter and don't eat while protecting the eggs and fry, all while in warmer water temperatures, where their bodies consume more calories. There's going to be some mortality.

Keith

That would be my 1st guess Keith. The only weird thing is the OP said they weren't tore up, no signs of scrapping.

Yes sir

Any updates on the oxygen level or what was causing the problem?

Iam not sure if its true but I've heard Catfish won't reproduce in ponds and I've had them in my pond for 20 years and have never seen any small ones.[/quote]


Catfish need cavities and holes to have a successful brood. You can put large plant pots, buckets, non-degradable boxes, etc. In a pond to increase the chance of success. Also being in a pond coexisting with other fish species will diminish the chance of a successful hatch into adulthood