I have a question about stunted fish populations.

Went over to New Mexico to catch some Yellow Perch for a new pond in the Texas Panhandle (mucho dinero to have them shipped in from the midwest). The lake I caught them from is full of stunted perch in the 3-6" range. They were tremendously easy to catch in this particular lake and the local fish and wildlife official told me to catch as many of the stunted fish as I wanted(caught about 70 in two or three hours, lost almost that many, teeny weeny mouths are hard to get a hook in). I figured that being so small their size would not pose a threat to my other small and newly stocked fatheads and bluegill.

My question is, will a stunted fish grow when placed in a new water body with adequate forage, etc., and secondly, will the offspring of the stunted fish return the population to its normal size when the "stunting" cause is removed. Basically, will the fish or their offspring get larger again now that the population I stocked in the pond is in a better environment?

Sampled a few last week with a hook and worm. They looked healthy and some were even fat, but of course little or no sign of growth so far.

Thanks for any response.

Sir Matt, my experience tells me that your stunted perch will grow with a proper and continual food source to their predetermined size. The same should be said for their new fry, they will grow to their environment and available food supply up to their predetermined genetic size as well. I believe stunting doesn't effect genetic over the short term anyways but I am not an expert, so maybe someone who is can comment as well... In my area in southwestern Ontario the jumbo yellow perch get 12-14" in length as are found in my 16 acre lake. But having said that my bluegill seldom reach over 9" in our shorten growing season and cooler weather overall than you. I hope this helps your cause.

Rowland

Out of the 6" catfish that I stocked last year, several are now 18". I've been told by the hatchery biologist that those may have been stunted, older catfish, that just caught up to their natural size when the food supply was plentiful. And I thought they were on steroids!

Glad to hear that others have seen stunted perch take off and grow larger, I am hoping to grow them for fun and for food, but have heard stunting is a problem. I plan to heavily cull (eat) fish and put the food right to them each year. time will tell.

Rowly and JoeG - he is not talking about our northern yellow perch. It is some sort of sunfish.

Stuntd fish will start growing again when food becomes abundant, however they can not make up the time and growth that was lost during the period of stunting. Those that were not stunted will always be larger fish when both are the same age.