blake
Life Member
Small Fairfield Fish Kill From Natural Causes
FAIRFIELD - A small fish kill in a Fairfield park appears to be from natural spawning stress.
The DNR received a report of dead fish in the Waterworks Park pond on Tuesday. Upon investigation, the DNR found several dozen dead bluegills but saw other live fish in the pond.
The dead fish were breeding male bluegills, which points to spawning stress as the cause of the kill, according to Vance Polton with DNR Fisheries.
"When bluegills die from stress during spawning, the vast majority are males. They refuse to abandon the nest, which is built in shallow water where the temperature gets the highest. After laying eggs, females go out to deep water where it would be cooler," Polton said.
Water samples showed normal water chemistry.
FAIRFIELD - A small fish kill in a Fairfield park appears to be from natural spawning stress.
The DNR received a report of dead fish in the Waterworks Park pond on Tuesday. Upon investigation, the DNR found several dozen dead bluegills but saw other live fish in the pond.
The dead fish were breeding male bluegills, which points to spawning stress as the cause of the kill, according to Vance Polton with DNR Fisheries.
"When bluegills die from stress during spawning, the vast majority are males. They refuse to abandon the nest, which is built in shallow water where the temperature gets the highest. After laying eggs, females go out to deep water where it would be cooler," Polton said.
Water samples showed normal water chemistry.