Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Corrective stocking Genetic Diversity?

What are some opinions on sourcing each individual fish species you stock in your ponds from at least a couple different sources?

My opinion is it would be a good thing to do. Particularly in larger ponds where larger numbers of each fish species are going to be stocked. Even smaller ponds would benefit from the added genetic diversity of at least two different sources. If for example you planned to stock 1000 bluegill into your 2 acre pond, source 500 from one hatchery and another 500 from a different hatchery would be a good idea IMO.

After all, the original stocker fish are going to be the backbone of your future fishery. Attempt to find the original source if the hatcheries you buy your fish from does not culture the fish themselves. This way if you do get fish from two different hatcheries but they both source their fish from the same hatchery, there's no benefit of that. I suspect higher quality hatcheries are prudent in trying to keep genetic diversity in their fish high, but sourcing from at least a couple hatcheries only adds to that diversity and can't hurt.

Obviously species you don't intend to naturally reproduce in your pond, channel catfish for instance or fish that aren't capable of naturally reproducing in ponds, hybrid striped bass or walleye would not require this.

This makes good biological sense to me. Adding some fish caught in other nearby waters might also help with genetic diversity (assuming you identify the fish species correctly and don't spread diseases or parasites). Hybrids between different strains should have improved vigor and allow for a greater numbers of different allels to be selected in any particular pond.

Myself and three other pond owners have exchanged BG's and BC's a couple of times through out the last 7 years with the genetic thought in mind. I have no idea if it helps or not but our thought was diversity is good and it gives us another pond activity.
And remember when using multiple fish partners to practice safe fish exchanging. After all you, you can't be too careful with transmitted diseases.

Now that's funny!

Certaintly don't think it would hurt. Brainstorming here. I wonder if this would be a way to "cure" a stunted pond. If you buy into the theory that stunted fish develop a genetic condition making them easier to stunt, perhaps adding some other genes would allow you to breed the habit out. Might be an interesting experiment if someone has a lot of time on there hands.

I would think it would help a stunted pond. As long as you're taking out more fish than you're putting in.

I think the biggest factor in a stunted pond is the removal of large numbers of the stunted fish. Once you have done that and have things under control, the addition of new genetics may very well help.