Catfish sores

[DEER 24/7]

Hey everyone my dad has about a acre pond with about 300 2 to 3 lb channels in it.they are fed every day a little fish food by a automatic feeder.it has no brush or moss in it .It does have about 30 rocks size of basketball in one area and 2 cream cans in another.my dad fed them this evening and he said a lot of them had sores on top of there heads and some on side of there bodies,I told him they were most likely fighting over and trying to make spawning spots but I told him I would ask the experts(Deer Slayer)so what do you guys think

 

[dennishoddy]

From what you describe, I don't know if its all about "fighting" although that is certainly possible.

Here is a good link to see what can happen in ponds and catfish.

http://www.luresext.edu/aquaculture/mortalityinponds.htm

 

[Deer Slayer]

Langston University head of the Aquaculture Department is Dr. Conrad Kleinhotz who I have know since 1972. I suspect the problem is bacterial sores or parasites due to excess nutrients in the pond casing poor water quality. I do not know how much feed has been put in the water over how many years. You have not provided enough information to render an opinion.

 

[Deer Slayer]

Fish kills have already been reported within the state which is too early. I inspected several channel cats last week in a 6 acre lake that had poor water quality and the fish had red sores on their side and lips. I am in the process of calculating an aeration system and a remediation program that will assist in alleviating the concern.

 

[DEER 24/7]

hey dennis thanks for Langston link good info,deer slayer the fish always eat what we feed right now we feed about a quart a day which is,nt enough for as many fish he has in there this bunch is the second stocking of 6 in channels 2 yrs ago before that had been stocked 3 years before so all together have been feeding fish in it for 5 years,it use to have a lot of blue gills in it also but something got most of them birds or channels idk,there is 10 black bass about 4 lbs,the pond is 2 to 5' deep,sits on top of hill with good wind aeration.he also has a aerrigation well running to it if it gets low he will fill it up with a 2" line letting water fall into pond from 6' then lets in run over spillway for a couple days.about 50 head cows water here also

 

[Deer Slayer]

Ok, the sores could be a parasite.

 

[fishfurlife]

Look up "Ich" - I would bet with pretty good confidence that it is your problem.

A common issue in "farm raised" or fish that are raised in a fashion that is similar to farm raising them. I.E. Feeding them regularly or stocking the pond with more fish than it should feasibly hold without supplementing fresh water/flushing the gray water.

 

[Bowhunter]

It's probably a parasite. Ever since the drought I've caught catfish with them in numerous places. It's funny because everyone I speak to knows about it and the wildlife department hasn't addressed it yet. Seems like the bigger fish have it the worst. I've sent them numerous pics and no reply.

 

[Oklahomabassin]

Do the cows have access to the whole pond or have they been fenced off to have limited access? That is a lot of fish in a small pond. In short, with all the biomass (fish crap, cow crap, fish feed,) and the shallow water, the pond is ripe for disaster.

 

[DEER 24/7]

Do the cows have access to the whole pond or have they been fenced off to have limited access? That is a lot of fish in a small pond. In short, with all the biomass (fish crap, cow crap, fish feed,) and the shallow water, the pond is ripe for disaster.

no it is not fenced off