What do I do if I think my pond was contaminated by pesticides or other chemicals?
The pattern of mortality is usually the best indicator of a fish kill caused by pesticides or other chemicals.
In a chemical poisoning, small fish die sooner than large fish and all species of vertebrates including turtles and frogs are affected. It is difficult to establish with certainty that fish mortality was related to chemical use. Analysis of water samples is expensive and time consuming, and chemicals will often break down by the time analysis is possible. For additional information on fish kill causes and solutions click here.