My one acre pond has just been completed. We have about 1-3 ft (depending on the spot) of water. I had planned to wait until the pond is full before stocking it with blue gills and catfish and then 6 months later add some bass. Now I already see mosquito eggs in the pond and I am sure that it will quickly become a mosquito factory. Can I put in some fathead minnows or some thing else to control the mosquitoes?
CajunRider,
BlueGill love mosquito eggs/larva. Strangely, around my pond, the mosquitoes are less than they are just about everywhere else on my property.
There is a "Mosquito Fish" aka Gambusia, but my reading says the BG eat as much or more than Gambusia.
I just know around my ponds, mosquitoes aren't a big problem.
Where is the best place to buy Gambusia for a 1/4 pond in Denton, TX?
Drake, Bob Lusk once told me that he could get them. However, one of the pro's on here said they pretty well clobber all small stuff including recently hatched fish. Thus, they aren't as good of a choice as fatheads or bluegills.
Cajunrider- There are three Fisheries Dealers/Raisers that I know near you that raise Fatheads, Gambusia, Bulegill, Tilapia etc...
1) Overton Fisheries, Todd Overton 903-322-2626,
email: Todd@overtoncentral.com
2) Herrmann's Fish Hatchery, Jon Herrman 361-387- 7819 email: dwherrmann@aol.com
3) American Sportfish, Don Keller 334-281-7703
Do me a favor if you contact any of them and tell them I said hi.
Thanks!
Drake,
In my East Texas ponds, the Gambusia just show up. I have no idea where they come from. Dig a hole and wait a while and they will show up. They are in small creeks, even puddles around here.
I've seen no evidence that they hurt anything but someone on the Forum says they are harmful to fish eggs and fry. I believe they are a net benefit, but in my case it doesn't matter what I think, I will have them anyway.
Meadowlark is correct. You don't have to stock mosquito fish...they just happen on their own. Look for minnow swimming out from the bank when you walk your pond...those are most likely mosquitofish. We have so many that we consider them a nuisance.