Trout in water monitors diet

[combretum]

We have a number of well-stocked trout dams on the property - nothing under 1,5kg. The dams are between half a hectare to 1&half hectares in size. The water bailiff reports current losses of trout due to predation by 2 water monitors - they have been seen around the dams by a number of people. Only the bailiff claims to haver seen the monitors eating trout that they allegedly caught. I would like to know if it is possible for water monitors to predate on live fish of this size, and if there have been any similar reports previously? We have not found any hard evidence yet to link the monitors to the losses. [not an otter problem - they have been relocated]

[Kev]

IMO.If there are people fishing the dams is it not possible that the fish are dying due to improper handling and stress to the fish during the catch and release?
I don’t know enough about monitors to say weather they would catch live trout, but I would think that one would be happy to eat a dead one?

[Ales]

As combretum said maybe the fish are dying off and the monitors find them half dead before you see them.

[Bushviper]

Monitors are not quick enough to swim after trout and catch them. They will eat sick or dead trout as well as crabs and other invertebrates. Their impact on the trout population will be insignificant. A really large monitor will eat at most two to three trout per month so unless you only have 20 or 30 trout per dam the monitors are not your problem.