I have a pond dug this year, I was wondering what the recommended Depth/or pool to start stocking. The deepest part of the pond right now is around 3-4ft. I'm looking at maybe just getting the Fathead minnows started. Not sure about the CC yet. Thanks

I put in my forage fish as soon as I had a viable pool. Gave them the last year to create more. My thought on CC is that you can add them any time and they are not the base of the food chain but more on the top. So I'm going CC last if at all. I want the rest of the food chain sorted out (BG/LMB for me) and then I can determine if more apex chompers are wanted/needed.

Brian, congrats on the new pond. What are your plans for it overall? This would help the experts determine how deep you should go. Will it be aerated? Feeding pellets? What species and goals for those species? I apologize if you've gone over this before in another thread.

My main plan is a Fishing hole for my boy and nieces and nephews. Looking at trying get these fathead minnows started first. Just don't want to put them in if they want survive with the depth of the pond right now. But far as goal I'm looking at channel cats, and redear sunfish, also I know a lot say shouldn't do it but putting a few Black crappie in there. We will not being doing much or any catch and release. We like to eat. Yes I will be pellet feeding and later looking into a aerator system.

Briand,


How big and deep do you estimate the pond will be when you reach full pool?

IMO I would go ahead and stock the FHM. You may not need that many if the pond is still small and there are no other fish in there. I started mine with about 300 (1 lb) and had a pond full in a few months. Make sure you provide some spawning habitat to maximize reproduction. There is lots of info on FHM spawning in other threads...pretty much any flat horizontal surface will do.

Good luck!

Briand

Welcome to the forum . What size is your pond? I read that it was 3-4' deep already. Probably the first thing to do is have your water tested for ph and hardness. If that is within the good levels then you can begin to stock your forage fish such as fat head minnows and bluegills and some redear. The smarter guys will be along to give you more detail, but the pond size needs to be known


Pat W

How big is it - pond size? FHM will live and reproduce in 1 ft of water. You will need to have spawn structures for them in shallow water normally 6"-1ft as the water depth increases and the pond fills. Floating boards attached along a rope that can be moved as water depth increases works pretty good. FHM lay their eggs under a relatively flat surface in shallow water. Some have even used waxed cardboard for temporary spawn habitat. All sorts of things can be used for FHM to spawn underneath. Your main concern is to keep it in shallow water as the depth increases until you get to full pool.

At full pool the pond will be between 8-10 ft at the deepest. Pond is around 1/2 acre. Soon as it was dug I put a lot of structure out. Wood pilots on the dock legs when water will be shallow, 5 gal. buckets with PVC concreted into them, rocks, haydock blocks etc. Thanks for all ya'll information. The fish truck is running this Tuesday.

Briand

Sounds good, but have you ran a water test yet? Hate to spend a lot on fish and have an issue

You might want to feed your FHM where the pond is just filling and there will not be a lot of natural food to begin with (an assumption on my part).

Some floating fish food pellets will work fine. The fish will be too small to eat the pellets, but they will peck at them until they soften up and get them eaten after fifteen minutes or so.

Don't go crazy on the amount. A coffee cup full will be enough to start with or even less till they get started eating it. Then increase it as they reproduce in numbers or until you stock some other fish and start feeding them too.

Kind of fun watching a dozen FHM pushing a floating pellet around the pond trying to eat it. For their size, they are voracious.

I know there is a lot of threads going on but maybe yall can explain the best way to do a self water test. I never had any dealings with PH. levels etc.

I think crappie in a 1/2 acre pond with a lot of pressure should be fine.

Briand,

From what I've read here at the forum, you can pick up an inexpensive water test kit from just about anywhere that sells swimming pool or aquarium supplies. The results will not be perfect, but should alert you to a significant PH problem.

Wally World has pool test kits. That aught to get you in the ball park.


Pat

Thanks everyone