Stop Killing the Fish©

by Mary Anne Bowie, FAICP, Sarasota Green Marketplace    

I hate it when a picture appears of thousands of dead fish, especially when they die in a freshwater pond designed for retention and detention. That happened last week, and I wanted to understand. I called Beautiful Ponds in Nokomis, FL, who biologically maintains 150 local ponds for homeowner associations and others.  When a pond is biologically maintained, there are usually a variety of plants are flourishing on the shore. Within the pond, snails, clams and fresh water mussels stay well fed, eating algae. Of course, there are also fish and other marine animals. When there is nothing alive at all on the edges of the pond, then the pond is most likely being treated by chemicals, usually herbicides and algaecides.  And often, if there is nothing alive at the edge of the pond, there may be nothing alive in the water.  Herbicides are used to kill plants; Algaecides are used to kill algae, the green peppery algae that makes ponds look green. There are 7,000 species of algae in Florida, and 20,000 species worldwide.  Typically, the algaecides are copper based.  Problem is, the algaecides that kill algaecides, also kill the snails, clams and fresh water mussels. So, what causes fish kills in retention or detention ponds? Chemicals and natural reasons also.  According to Beautiful Ponds, runoff from road or driveway asphalt resurfacing followed by a rain with 36 hours can cause fish kills. Over-treating the pond with algaecide can kill fish.  And, if the pond is not correctly biologically balanced, three days of cloudy days in a row can kill so much algae that a fish kill can occur.   

Sarasota Green Marketplace is Sarasota’s Only All-Green Home and Building Store, providing only eco-friendly products and services and promoting Sarasota Green Connection (SGC) Approved Businesses. Please visit us at 2864 Ringling Blvd. in the Gold Tree Plaza at the corner of Ringling Blvd. and Tuttle Ave.  Questions? Feel free to call us at 941.953.3588. We are open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10am to 6pm; and on Friday and Saturday from 8am to noon.  Ready to GO GREEN? we’re ready to help!   

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