How to Clear Clostridium Botulinum Out of Fish Ponds

Learn how to keep your fish pond free of clostridium botulinum.

Clostridium botulinum is a rod-shaped anaerobic bacterium that forms spores, grows in water and can be toxic in large quantities. If clostridium botulinum starts in a fish pond and migrates over into the fish themselves and those fish are consumed while containing the bacteria, the person eating that fish can become severely ill with botulism. For that reason, it's important to clean fish ponds regularly to remove any clostridium botulinum from them.

Things You'll Need

• Fish or pool net
• Pond pump with long hose
• Wet/dry shop vacuum
• Submersible pump and filter
• Dechlorinator
• Clean water
• Hose

Instructions

1. Examine your fish pond for any dead ducks or fish in the water regularly and remove them immediately upon discovery. Understand that clostridium botulinum thrives on carcasses.

2. Skim the surface of your pond with a net to remove large debris like leaves and sticks. Select a spot where you can divert dirty pond water and make sure you have a long enough hose to reach that spot.

3. Secure pond plants and fish safely elsewhere during the cleaning process. Use a pond pump to drain the pond to within 2 inches of water. Remove muck, or slimy, dark and highly organic soil, from the bottom of the fish pond with a wet/dry shop vacuum since that is where clostridium botulinum live.

4. Install a submersible pump and filter appropriate for your size pond into the deepest part of your pond to aid in the prevention of future muck build-up. Refill the pond with clean water, adding necessary dechlorinators or stress coats before reintroducing plants and fish to the pond.

References

• US Food and Drug Administration: BAM -- Clostridium Botulinum
• USA Aqua Vac: Clostridium Botulinum

Resources

• Pond World: Pond Filters
• Macarthur Water Gardens: Submersible Pumps
• HHB: G.F. Burns & H. Williams; "Clostridium botulinum in Scottish fish farms"; June, 1974.