Wow Jpsdad, thanks for taking the time to write up that much info!
The gams in our creek seem to face some pretty tough conditions, yet whenever a stressful condition subsides, they rebound very quickly. Definitely going to add them to the initial forage stocking for any new pond.
Since the preferred diets of FHM and Gams do NOT perfectly overlap, I wonder if an initial pond stocking with both species would provide a higher standing weight of available forage?
Does anybody know what is the most common limiting factor that controls the pre-predator standing weight of a new pond's initial small forage?
1.) Reproductive rate? e.g. the FHM have not had time for enough spawning cycles to "fill" the pond before the BG and LMB are introduced?
2.) Oxygen limited? e.g. the pond can fill with enough FHM numbers in the absence of predators to cause an oxygen crash and subsequent fish kill?
3.) Food limited? e.g. most new ponds have lower fertility, the zooplankton and available consumable plant material can't be that high when the pond is initially filling?
I would guess #3, but any expert commentary would be appreciated.
I have read old guidance about fertilizing ponds with cow manure, or throwing in a few bales of barley straw. However, I don't see that advice given out on Pond Boss to all of the new pond owners that are just starting their adventure. Is that type of fertilization not worth the effort? I would think that some new ponds have very low initial fertility. A little bit of help might have a significant benefit, especially for landowners that already have those types of materials on their properties?
