Tropical fish farms struggle in unseasonably cold temperatures in Tampa Bay area: 'We might have some losses'

RIVERVIEW, Fla. - Another night of unseasonably cold temperatures across the Tampa Bay area is threatening thousands of tropical fish. Fish farmers say the prolonged chill could lead to losses that take months to bounce back from.

What we know:

Dan Conner, the owner of Consolidated Fish Farms, says his staff has been scrambling to protect sensitive species. He says every forecast brings new challenges for deciding how to protect fish, spread across dozens of ponds.

RELATED: Cold snap hitting Tampa Bay area putting fish farms in survival mode

"The weather has put us into panic mode a lot of times," Conner said. "We’ve been trying to figure out what the weather is going to look like and how we’re going to mitigate as many issues as possible."

At his farm in Riverview, he has repeatedly cast wire basket traps into the ponds, trying to see what remains below the surface. 

Many of those baskets are coming back empty, as colder water slows fish movement and pushes them deeper.

What they're saying:

"Since it got really cold, we’re having issues finding a lot of our fish in our pond," Conner said. "We’re hoping they’re at the real far bottom, but we might have some losses."

The farm uses a well system to pump warm water, roughly 72 degrees, into its ponds. 

Once the sun goes down, temperatures fall quickly and that limited flow is often not enough to protect tropical fish from the cold. 

At the University of Florida’s Tropical Aquaculture Lab in Ruskin, scientists are closely monitoring how fish respond to the temperatures dropping. Research scientist Quenton Tuckett says one of the first warning signs is visible stress. 

As water temperatures fall below about 65 degrees, fish can begin losing their ability to maintain balance.

"What you see is the signs of stress," Tuckett said. "Beginning to lose equilibrium, that’s when a fish begins to tumble."

Why you should care:

He says those conditions can have lasting consequences for fish populations and the industry that depends on them. Prolonged exposure to cold water can affect survival rates long after temperatures rebound.

READ: Manatee County berry farmer protects crop from freezing temperatures: 'Toughest two nights'

"It affects the long-term mortality of these fish and the vitality of the industry," Tuckett said.

At Consolidated Fish Farms in Riverview, Conner is bracing for big losses. He says rebuilding the stock could take anywhere from six months to two years, depending on how many fish survive the cold snap.

The backstory:

Back in 2022, prolonged winter weather during the days leading up to Christmas killed thousands of tropical fish at Consolidated Fish Farms. Conner says those losses forced his farm to diversify its entire operation.

"We’re one of the few farms where we have other products to sell," he said. "Other farmers in our area don’t have other options. This is what they rely on for their sole income."

What's next:

Fish farmers warn widespread losses could eventually lead to shortages of certain species. In the months ahead, those shortages could drive up prices for pet stores and customers.