Can I Safely Remove Bluegill from Koi Pond?

[carpe diem]

My 30,000 gallon koi pond has thousands of bluegill and 7 large koi. Normally I wouldn't have a problem with bluegill, but they've gotten out of control. They fight with the koi during feedings and they eat the koi eggs/fry so I never get any new fish. (Note: I inherited this mess -- I wouldn't have built a pond this way, but it is what it is).

I'm doing a complete cleaning/renovation of the pond this spring, and the company I'm working with has offered to get rid of, or at least cull, the bluegill.

My question: How would the lack of bluegill affect the pond/koi health?

The pond also has a couple snapping turtles, a few Eastern water snakes (non venomous), and tons of frogs. Would the ecosystem be thrown completely off balance if the bluegill were eliminated? Are they eating parasites that would otherwise attack the koi, or are they passing on parasites of their own? Doing a complete water change is going to stress the koi, and I want to do everything I can to make their transition back into the pond calming.

 

[GBBUDD]

You were fine up until you said snapping turtles but those can be caught as well . Yeah the snappers will go for you koi and im sure they probably do now they just aren't successful every time they try to eat something. A DRAG NET WOULD be my suggestion like the Japanese's use to catch koi . catch them . then it's game on go fishing drag the pond for snappers and blues. surface poppers worms what ever works for the fish fry

 

[carpe diem]

Thanks! I'll see if I can get the snappers removed. I'd wondered if they'd turn on the koi when the bluegill were gone. One is a good 30lbs, the other I've seen is about 10lbs. I'm curious to see how many more are down there once it's drained.

Good or bad idea to add goldfish once the bluegill are gone? Previous owners said they added goldfish, but all except 1 comet was gone by the time I bought the place...and then a heron got it the next year

 

[GBBUDD]

Catching snapping turtles is easy leave out some fish on the ground outside the pond they will find it you just need to be there when they do.

Goldfish koi bass blue gill it's all the same if there are no predators your population Will explode until the food runs out then they will starve. Thus limiting the population

 

[DoxieMom]

You were fine up until you said snapping turtles but those can be caught as well . Yeah the snappers will go for you koi and im sure they probably do now they just aren't successful every time they try to eat something. A DRAG NET WOULD be my suggestion like the Japanese's use to catch koi . catch them . then it's game on go fishing drag the pond for snappers and blues. surface poppers worms what ever works for the fish fry

Thanks! I'll see if I can get the snappers removed. I'd wondered if they'd turn on the koi when the bluegill were gone. One is a good 30lbs, the other I've seen is about 10lbs. I'm curious to see how many more are down there once it's drained.

Good or bad idea to add goldfish once the bluegill are gone? Previous owners said they added goldfish, but all except 1 comet was gone by the time I bought the place...and then a heron got it the next year

 

[DoxieMom]

I have used a throw net, the kind used for catching shrimp, to remove goldfish from my previous pond. I built a second just for the goldfish. The koi and GF can interbreed, which will produce earth colored fish, which are sterile. Like if like breading a horse and donkey, the offspring is a mule, but mules are sterile.

Stick to only koi if you want koi babies, but yes, remove turtles and bluegill.