Pond Boss Magazine
https://www.pondboss.com/images/userfiles/image/20130301193901_6_150by50orangewhyshouldsubscribejpeg.jpg
Advertisment
Newest Members
Shotgun01, Dan H, Stipker, LunkerHunt23, Jeanjules
18,451 Registered Users
Forum Statistics
Forums36
Topics40,902
Posts557,109
Members18,452
Most Online3,612
Jan 10th, 2023
Top Posters
esshup 28,417
ewest 21,475
Cecil Baird1 20,043
Bill Cody 15,112
Who's Online Now
7 members (Boondoggle, jbird5986, Angler8689, FishinRod, Dylanfrely, Bill Cody, Deancutler), 746 guests, and 176 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 8,854
Likes: 1
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
OP Offline
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 8,854
Likes: 1
Meadowlark was kind enough to give me an update on his Pacu/Hot tub program. Here it is.

I learn something about this interesting, amazing fish all the time. I currently have Pacu estimated at 8, 6, and 4 pounds in my hot tub. The weight is estimated because they have been there since late September when they were 7,5, and 3 pounds measured weight.

This is, needless to say, one imposing fish in any facility let alone a hot tub. You do NOT, repeat NOT, net the large one or smaller two fish either for measuring. They simply are too strong and too wild. I'm not sure how I will get them back in the ponds this spring...probably will remove all the water from the hot tub along with anything breakable and hope I can handle them. I'm looking for something which will also tranqualize them temporarily while moving them to the pond.

About a week ago, I started my annual Pacu replenishment program by purchasing six 2 inch fish from PetSmart and adding them to the hot tub. Mistake, bad mistake. Pacu are vegetarians, right? Wrong, at least in a confined space and fish of a large size. The six small Pacu were down to one by the next day....and even more shocking was the discovery of partial remains of a Tilapia of at least 1/2 pound. I have some 1 pound Tilapia in the hot tub which were unaffected by the apparent killing spree.

I got a great deal this week on some very large shiners for use as winter LMB forage. I'm trying them instead of rainbow trout this year just to see if they may be better or not. This relates to Pacu in the following way...I held back a couple of pounds of the large shiners to add a few at a time to the Pacu in the hot tub. It will be interesting to see what happens, although I think we can predict the result.

Based on this experience, I'm going to have to find a separate tank for raising the small Pacu indoors or just wait and put them in my grow out pond in April until they are predator proof. I was planning to purchase and grow about 20 to 25 Pacu for Pond stocking this year, but those plans are now pending an alternative indoor tank or possibly three grilled large Pacu dinners. I want to see how large these fish can get in two growing seasons, so I'll probably just continue as is for now. I fully expect 15 to 20 pound fish by next fall from the two larger ones.

Let me say a word or two about the sporting qualities of this amazing fish....and I think you probably know that I have some basis for this statement having fished all over the North and South American continents. The Pacu is by far the greatest sporting fish I have ever experienced in fresh water, warm water fishing. Considering all freshwater species that I have experienced, cold and warm, I would rank it right there with the wild Alaskan Steelhead as a sport fish. It can't outshine the salt water flats species of Bonefish, Tarpon and Permit, but it certainly is superior to many other saltwater species.

Hence, in spite of potential problems with carnivorous, cannibalistic behavior, I will continue to raise, stock (in selected ponds) and catch these amazing fish.



Holding a redear sunfish is like running with scissors.
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 957
R
Rad Offline
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
R
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 957
That certainly matches with my experience, they will eat anything anytime. I caught one on a piece of bread day before yesterday, a first for me, Don said he caught one on a live minnow. I have caught them on rapalas.
And, as ML says, love to hear that reel sing.
I have about 20- 25 now and I can't keep up with the food bill.


1/4 & 3/4 acre ponds. A thousand miles from no where and there is no place I want to be...
Dwight Yoakam
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 39
T
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
T
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 39
Bruce,
There was a show on the National Geographic channel last night on the snakehead carp problem they are having in Maryland. The reason I mention this is that you said you need a way to tranq them, they used some type of oil, I can't remember the name. They said it was a topical numbing agent for humans, but acted as a sleeping pill to fish. If I see the show on again I will write down the name of the oil. But you could probably drain down the hot tub, add some of this oil, and wait for nap time for pacu.

Sounds like fun, send pics if you have any, I would love to see your fish.


You've got to talk to the animals, sing ditties to the fishies - My Great Grandfather

Here fishy fishy fishy - Me
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,794
G
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
G
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,794
Bruce and ML thanks for sharing the Pacu report, and Rad for you your continuing Pacu updates.
I find the subject most interesting, and not unlike some of the early tilapia experiments and ultimate acceptance and popularity.

I see no personal immediate utilization for Pacu, but the sporting characteristics for this remarkable species is very tempting, raising several questions as to culture and propagation.

Reproduction characteristics/Hatchery reproduction?
Temperature tolerances?
Seasonal growth potential with supplemental feeding?
Water quality tolerance?
Hook shy?

ML and Rad both report Pacu are omnivores and I find this most interesting.

If enough interest and demand is shown, I see no reason why fish hatcheries would not respond to this as a profitable opportunity.


Last edited by george1; 01/02/08 09:49 AM.


N.E. Texas 2 acre and 1/4 acre ponds
Original george #173 (22 June 2002)




Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,794
G
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
G
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,794
I may have answered some of my own questions, which I am sure ML and Rad have addressed in the past.


Excerpts from:

Aquaculture Presents New Opportunities for Puerto Rican
Farmers
By
Michael V. McGee, Ph.D.
Caribe Fisheries Inc.
Lajas, PR

Over the last twenty-five years the fastest growing sector of agriculture
world-wide has been aquaculture. Simply put, aquaculture is the propagation
and production of aquatic species under controlled conditions. Similar to
traditional agriculture in many respects aquaculture farms produced nearly
46,000,000 metric tons of products in 2000. Today a large percentage of
fresh water fish species consumed for food including Tilapia, catfish, carp,
trout, and pacu, are produced by farmers. An increasing percentage of
saltwater species including oysters, clams, shrimp and salmon are also farmraised.
New species and production techniques are continually being
developed and evaluated. While richer nations have often been leaders in
terms of education and technology, developing countries especially in
tropical regions have in many cases received the most economic benefit
from the “blue revolution”, as the modern aquaculture industry is sometimes
called.


Beyond these species which are well known in Puerto Rico new species are
now available locally which hold great potential for successful aquaculture
production. Fish of the genus Colossoma known also as pacu or cachama are
native to the Amazon River basin in northern South America. These fish are
widely cultured throughout tropical regions of South and Central America.
Pacu grow quickly to a large size and are well accepted as a food and sport
fish. These fish are tolerant of poor water quality and crowding and can be
stocked at high densities in ponds
. In polyculture with Tilapia they appear to
reduce unwanted reproduction. Pacu themselves cannot reproduce in the
pond environment




N.E. Texas 2 acre and 1/4 acre ponds
Original george #173 (22 June 2002)




Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,028
Likes: 274
D
Moderator
Lunker
Offline
Moderator
Lunker
D
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,028
Likes: 274
I don't understand why they can't reproduce in the pond environment.


It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.

Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.

Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,721
J
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
J
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,721
Meadowlark you never did post a picture of you in the hot tub with the tilapia so could you at least post a picture of you in the hot tub with the pacu?

Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 957
R
Rad Offline
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
R
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 957
DD1,
They are shy.

Yesterday a guy drove by with a pick up full of fish, mostly tilapia and pacu. The pacu were 2 1/2 to 3" for about a dime a piece.
George, At least for me they are similar in those areas to tilapia, the big difference is the breeding, pacu, both sexes, need to be induced and I think need to be around 5 years old. They are aquacultured so they should be available in some areas.
As for hook shy, if I surface fish, usually one is the limit, the rest leave the area. On the bottom, I have caught 6 in an hour or so.

When in the states a couple of months ago I saw several at Sea World, in the 30# range, but they were fat.


1/4 & 3/4 acre ponds. A thousand miles from no where and there is no place I want to be...
Dwight Yoakam
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 8,854
Likes: 1
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
OP Offline
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 8,854
Likes: 1
Here's one of Meadowlark's massive Pacu. I stole the image from his website (with permission of course )



Quite a fish, eh?


...and here's the website so you can follow the growth of these fish. Shaped like a mega-turbo-charged-steroid raging-bluegill, if you ask me.

Last edited by Bruce Condello; 01/05/08 10:31 AM.

Holding a redear sunfish is like running with scissors.
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 53
J
JHM Offline
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
J
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 53
 Originally Posted By: Tororider
Bruce,
. The reason I mention this is that you said you need a way to tranq them, they used some type of oil, I can't remember the name. They said it was a topical numbing agent for humans, but acted as a sleeping pill to fish. If I see the show on again I will write down the name of the oil.


Clove oil.
I can't remember the dosage,and can't seem to find the bottle I had, but I used an EYE DROPPER to add it,so it was a low concentration. I didn't like using it, prefer MS222.
And clove oil makes fish even harder to handle (think:slippery)

ETA: We used to make up a stock solution using 1ml of clove oil (Eugenol) to 10 ml of 90% ethanol,(1:10) to help disperse the oil in water.

We started with 1 ml of this stock solution to 2.5 gallons of water, and worked from there, depending on the reaction of the fish. Varies by species, temp, water chem., etc, so start low and adjust as needed until you have a handle on it. And have a tub of regular water on hand in case to fish go out too hard/fast.

*** Don’t believe that it is a FDA approved fish anaesthetic, so information is for educational purposes only.


Last edited by JHM; 01/10/08 10:19 AM.
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 957
R
Rad Offline
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
R
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 957
Nine pounds nine ounces and what a blast to catch. I lost three yesterday on new 10# line. Switched to 12 today.



Last edited by Rad; 06/09/08 12:49 AM.

1/4 & 3/4 acre ponds. A thousand miles from no where and there is no place I want to be...
Dwight Yoakam
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 8,854
Likes: 1
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
OP Offline
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 8,854
Likes: 1
Oh, my word!


Holding a redear sunfish is like running with scissors.
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,365
B
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
B
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,365
Mine never got hook shy. I guess I hooked each fish 4-5 times. Do use one of the super braided lines, as they have a knack for nipping monofilament line. They finally died from cold last December, and I have no way to grow more out this year. I really miss those little monsters. When they were feeling spunky, they would swim high and leave a pretty good wake telling other fish to back off.

Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,934
Likes: 2
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Offline
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,934
Likes: 2
It's got that look on it's face like "do I look fat in this picture?"
Could you even fit the filet on a Weber?

Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 957
R
Rad Offline
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
R
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 957
I thought I had been neglecting them but this one, at least, is pretty fat, I couldn't find a Wr list for pacu.

The chef will make steaks out of thios guy and unless there is a special order it will hit the hot fat in a wok.


1/4 & 3/4 acre ponds. A thousand miles from no where and there is no place I want to be...
Dwight Yoakam
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 957
R
Rad Offline
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
R
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 957
Bobad,
Here is a little incentive to locate a few more pacu. I went to this restaurant the other day, it is in the middle of a 5 acre pond. Really pleasant, there are places similar to this all over the country, usually smaller with lots of catfish and many have fish food for sale to feed them.




This place has a coin operated dispenser, an unusual item regardless of what is dispensed. (setting the stage) Girlfriend and I see a couple of folks feeding some fish on the other side of the restaurant and she digs out some coins, as she has already seen the dispenser, and heads over to get some food. Me, I am just admiring the beautiful pond and enjoying a rare draft beer, when I hear "Oh Sh#t", she doesn't know what it means, but I do, so I truck on over and find that like with an ice machine you needed to have a bucket inserted prior to inserting the coin. Bucket, new coin and we are back at the table, me enjoying the view/beer and she tossing a handful of food into the water, I hear another "OH sh#t" turn and offer the same exclamation.

There are 50, 30 to 35 pound pacu shouldering each other out of the way for the pellets.



The rufus, for the birders, colored fish are cats, there were also tilapia and giant gourami, plus one white/albino catfish weighing in at about 5 pounds.

Right after I got home I fed my fish, new goal a 30 pound pacu from my pond.


1/4 & 3/4 acre ponds. A thousand miles from no where and there is no place I want to be...
Dwight Yoakam
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,934
Likes: 2
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Offline
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,934
Likes: 2
Awesome fish, patio/gazebo, and story. Thanks for paintin' that picture, Rad. You really are in your element, ain't ya.
-
I'm sketching some construction drawings right now. Is the roof slate or metal?

Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,365
B
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
B
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,365
Rad,

I can fully understand the expletive! A few come to mind just thinking about 35 pound pacu. I bet those little monsters could warm up the drag on your reel.

That's a beautiful restaurant and setting Rad. It's a tough job, but I guess someone has to do it, eh?

We miss seeing the wakes of approaching pacu in our pond, and the possibility of a big fight. If I have any setbacks raising fathead in my little bait pond, I'll use it to grow out some more pacu.

Thanks for the great story and pictures.

Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,939
Likes: 268
Moderator
Lunker
Offline
Moderator
Lunker
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,939
Likes: 268
 Originally Posted By: Brettski
Awesome fish, patio/gazebo, and story. Thanks for paintin' that picture, Rad. You really are in your element, ain't ya.
-
I'm sketching some construction drawings right now. Is the roof slate or metal?

Stand by for pics of the new pagodazebo from LNP ...

I wonder what the upper weigth limit for pacu is.


"Live like you'll die tomorrow, but manage your grass like you'll live forever."
-S. M. Stirling
[Linked Image from i.pinimg.com]
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 110
S
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
S
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 110
Rad:
I'm a "lurker" who seldom posts, but I always enjoy your updates. It is nice to escape to another world vicariously through you. Thanks.


Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 957
R
Rad Offline
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
R
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 957
I am told 44 pounds, Theo and I can't wait.

I snagged one in the side a couple of weeks ago, about 7/12 pounds, I didn't know what I had at first, felt bigger than anything before it. It is hard to turn a fish if they are not hooked in the mouth. Plus, I am switching rigs from spinning to bait casting and was still trying to set up the drag.

Somewhere back in the remaining live brain cells a switch was thrown about 15 yards into the 30 yard run and my thumb clamped down on the spinning spool. The last time I used a freshwater bait casting reel was before level wind. And, during that time between then and now, I must have forgotten the results of trying to stop a big fish with my thumb. A total of five runs, a bunch of swimming back and forth and one thumb print later he was in the net.

They do have a downside, if you look at the picture of the restaurant you might notice the lack of plants in or at waters edge.


1/4 & 3/4 acre ponds. A thousand miles from no where and there is no place I want to be...
Dwight Yoakam
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,475
Likes: 264
E
Moderator
Hall of Fame 2014
Lunker
Offline
Moderator
Hall of Fame 2014
Lunker
E
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,475
Likes: 264
Thanks Rad. Those Pacu can get to 20 kg.

















Link Copied to Clipboard
Today's Birthdays
cro, HC1968
Recent Posts
pond experience needed
by FishinRod - 03/28/24 08:46 PM
Alum vs Bentonite/Lathanum for Phosphorus Removal?
by FishinRod - 03/28/24 08:28 PM
New pond middle TN: establishing food chain?
by Bill Cody - 03/28/24 07:57 PM
Happy Birthday Bob Lusk!!
by FireIsHot - 03/28/24 07:33 PM
Relative weight charts in Excel ? Calculations?
by Boondoggle - 03/28/24 06:45 PM
Working on a .5acre disaster, I mean pond.
by PRCS - 03/28/24 06:39 PM
Fungus infection on fish
by nvcdl - 03/28/24 06:07 PM
Can anyone ID these minnows?
by Dylanfrely - 03/28/24 05:43 PM
1 year after stocking question
by esshup - 03/28/24 04:48 PM
Yellow Perch Spawn 2024
by H20fwler - 03/28/24 04:29 PM
New 2 acre pond stocking plan
by LANGSTER - 03/28/24 03:49 PM
Paper-shell crayfish and Japanese snails
by esshup - 03/28/24 10:39 AM
Newly Uploaded Images
Eagles Over The Pond Yesterday
Eagles Over The Pond Yesterday
by Tbar, December 10
Deer at Theo's 2023
Deer at Theo's 2023
by Theo Gallus, November 13
Minnow identification
Minnow identification
by Mike Troyer, October 6
Sharing the Food
Sharing the Food
by FishinRod, September 9
Nice BGxRES
Nice BGxRES
by Theo Gallus, July 28
Snake Identification
Snake Identification
by Rangersedge, July 12

� 2014 POND BOSS INC. all rights reserved USA and Worldwide

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5