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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchUsually, intact fish fecal pellets sink, but that does not mean every pellet immediately reaches a lake bottom intact. Settling speed varies with the fish, pellet properties, and water conditions, and the research does not establish a universal lake sinking rate or travel time.
What does “sink” mean?
A settling speed describes how quickly a pellet moves downward under particular study conditions. It is not the same as the time it takes to reach a lake bottom: that also depends on depth and water movement, and a pellet’s path or condition may change during its descent.
Available studies measured settling by particular fish fecal pellets in specific settings. They support the qualified answer “usually,” but do not show that every pellet in every lake sinks all the way to the bottom.
How fast have fish fecal pellets been measured sinking?
Measurements vary by species and setting. The marine field result below is not a lake rate, while the freshwater measurements are specific to the tested fish and experimental conditions.
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| Fish fecal pellets | Study setting | Measured settling rate | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Likely northern anchovy | Santa Barbara Channel, marine water | 458–1,370 m/day; mean 787 m/day | A field-study result, not a general lake estimate |
| Channel catfish | Freshwater experiment | 1.72–13.33 cm/s | A study-specific range under tested conditions |
| Bighead carp | Freshwater experiment | 4.16–13.83 cm/s | A study-specific range under tested conditions |
Saba and Steinberg reported the marine rates for likely northern anchovy pellets in their 2012 study of the Santa Barbara Channel. They also found that larger-volume pellets generally sank faster. These figures should not be treated as freshwater or lake measurements.
The 2022 freshwater study, “Assessment of Biophysical Properties of Faecal Pellets from Channel Catfish and Bighead Carp,” reported the species-specific ranges shown above. In the tested conditions, settling velocities increased with water temperature. These findings do not establish a rate for other fish or lakes.
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What can affect a pellet’s descent?
Pellet properties and water conditions can affect settling. The studies support comparing fish species, pellet size or volume, and water conditions; they do not provide one formula that predicts how quickly an arbitrary pellet will reach a particular lake bottom.
- Fish species: The freshwater study reported different ranges for channel catfish and bighead carp.
- Pellet size or volume: In the Santa Barbara Channel study, larger-volume pellets generally sank faster.
- Water conditions: The freshwater study found higher settling velocities at higher tested temperatures.
- Water movement and disruption: A pellet’s route and condition may change as it moves through the water.
Can every fish pellet be expected to reach the lake bottom?
No. The available sources do not establish what proportion of wild lake fish feces reaches the lakebed rather than being degraded, consumed, or resuspended. A lake sediment-trap study describes degradation and reingestion of zooplankton fecal material and pellets, but those are not fish feces and cannot establish a fish-specific fate or travel time.
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What is the simplest accurate answer?
Fish fecal pellets usually settle, but not at one predictable speed in every lake. Study measurements are specific to their fish and conditions, and settling speed alone does not tell you how long a pellet takes to reach a lake bottom.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.FAQ
Does fish poop sink in every lake?
Intact fish fecal pellets have been measured settling, but the available research does not show that every pellet in every lake reaches the bottom intact.
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How long does fish poop take to reach the bottom of a lake?
The reviewed sources do not give a universal lake-bottom travel time. A settling speed is not a travel time; depth, water movement, and changes to the pellet also matter.
Are the anchovy sinking rates lake measurements?
No. Saba and Steinberg’s 458–1,370 m/day range, with a mean of 787 m/day, was measured for likely northern anchovy pellets in the marine Santa Barbara Channel.
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What freshwater fish have measured fecal-pellet settling rates?
A 2022 freshwater experiment reported rates of 1.72–13.33 cm/s for channel catfish pellets and 4.16–13.83 cm/s for bighead carp pellets. These are study-specific measurements, not universal lake rates.
Sources: Saba and Steinberg, “Abundance, Composition and Sinking Rates of Fish Fecal Pellets in the Santa Barbara Channel” (2012); “Assessment of Biophysical Properties of Faecal Pellets from Channel Catfish and Bighead Carp” (2022).
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