Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Fry ID

Educated guesses needed on what species of fry this one is. He's about an inch long and I got them this afternoon in the Sacandaga river. Sorry the photo's aren't clearer.

Can't see the mouth, but it appears to be a cyprinidae.

I am guessing bluntnose minnow.

I am guessing spottail shiner, but the picture isn't perfectly clear so it's really hard to tell for sure... The length of the nose on of the fish makes me believe it isn't a bluntnose. See if you can get a photo just a little more in focus.

http://fish.dnr.cornell.edu/nyfish/Cyprinidae/spottail_shiner.html

CJ I was looking at the same site, to me it's confusing, looked almost like a lake chub, but that's a WAG.
Does the spottail shiner have that dark line?
If it's any of these minnows would they propigate in the pond, there's plenty in the river where I was?

When they are small like that, they are tough to ID at times. I'll say this, the certainly won't hurt your pond and unless you stock a pile, they'll most likely end up being trout food before they even get a chance to spawn.

If they are bluntnose minnows, they may do well in your pond. My only concern is your low pH. Bluntnose and FHM are very closely related. Spottail shiners are more of a large lake species, but I stocked a couple hundred on a .4 acre pond and am waiting on the results. 2 years of no predators, next spring I am go to seine the pond and see if I got any reproduction. Lake chubs are also a large lake species as well. I am fairly sure, all species are not overly tolerant to low pH.

If you can catch a pile of them, just be careful you don't get any unwanted species mixed in and you can consider stocking them. However, be careful with disease and parasite introduction. I think I recall you mentioning you had a small little hole of water below your main pond? If so, perhaps try putting them in their first... If they do well, perhaps they'll pull off a spawn next spring and you can move a bunch of those babies to your main pond?

The low PH sure is a problem, I'm waiting to see if the PH rises significantly now that I have the new waterline in which has increased the inflow from 40gpm to 95gpm. The stream water always tests above ph6.
Thanks for the info, for now I'll put them in the backyard pond and see if they survive the PS's.

PS will eat some small ones but if you get them much over an inch, they'll most likely survive the PS predatory attempts... Any luck in finding some mudminnows for your pond? I think they may very well be your best bet when it comes to a new forage species...

I just put the fry in the backyard pond and the race was on, they stayed in the shallow edges of the pond where the PS's couldn't get them and some went by the Garland on the overflow tube. The PS's seem to give up for now and atleast 6 of the 10 fry have survived.
I would like to get some mudminnows, but i have to hike in to the ponds that might have them and haven't had the time yet.

Yeah, I know the feeling of not having enough time. I'd like to catch a few more banded killies for my pond and try to find some mudminnows as well. I may get a chance tomorrow. You'll be amazed at how fast those 6 guys grow if they don't get eaten...

CJ how are the lake chub suckers doing?
When you collect minnows do you use a net or minnow trap?

The ones in my aquarium are doing well. They've put on an inch or so and are eating a variety of frozen foods and I keep the aquarium light on the increase algae growth which they relish. The ones in the two ponds I put them in, I have no clue... I hope doing just as well though!

I typically use a seine. I have a 4'x12', 4'x20' an a 4'x50'. The smallest I can use by myself. If I get an extra hand I run the bigger ones. You can haul in a lot of fish in a good spot with the 50 footer. I also use a dip net and minnow trap as well.