Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Do bass change sex?

I wanted (after seeing it here) to stock my pond with bluegill and FEMALE LMB. Someone just mentioned that bass change sex for survival...true?

Also, how accurate is the sexing of LMB? I don't want to pay extra only to get a mix anyway...

Thanks...

I'll answer the first question..

So unlikely as to not worry about it. There are some documented instances in waterways with considerable hormonal deposition, such as flushing birth control pill down the toilet. I wouldn't worry about it. In the limited number you'll stock it is, in my opinion, astronomically unlikely.

I'll leave the second question to somebody smarter than me.

Get to where you can sex them. Do it during the pre spawn which makes it easier.

In addition to Bruce's comment their sex can be changed very early in the life process by methods like those discussed on the recent (triploid) carp thread or by feeding them hormones in their food (pellets) early in life. I am not aware of any natural sex change ability.

I may be producing all male trout via adding male hormones to the fry feed before they are fixed in sex once I start hatching my own trout in the future. Not difficult to do at all.

I think the older a fish gets the harder it is to change its sex. If you select obviously one sex mature bass, it is essentially impossible for them to change sex naturally and with out some outside chemical stimulation while they are in your pond. If you have one sex bass and then you get bass offspring someone made a mistake in choosing the stock or someone added a bass to your pond.

Postscript - It is highly unlikely that you will be able to buy single sex bass from a hatchery. If you do please tells us about the hatchery.

If you continue to feed this hormone later in life what effect does it have on the fish?

Ggaaarrrgghhh is that a Dr. Frankenbruce question ? Lets just say they don't mix well with YP , CSBG , HSB or RES !!! Can you say ah -Frankenfish 3 times real fast ? :p :p

Bill,

Why is that? Are they hard to determine the sex?

My Masters Thesiss work ( which I later dropped) "Sex Reversal of laremouth Bass via 17-beta estradiol bath immersion".

Basically after yolk sac absoprtion up until about 2 inches they have not differniated their sex. So quite easy to make all females if you treat with appropriate concentration of estrogen. I did not like my tech. b/c I felt the better method was already accomplished by feeding with treated estrogen feed.

After a few inches in length I have never heard of a bass changing sex.

I get about a call a month about stocking their lake with female only bass, great in theory but hatcheires have yet to mass produce them. We have to sex them in the spring with a couple of diff tech. if your off by only one then well I screwed up and you will have reproduction in the pond. So I do not promote but once the hatcheries have them it will be great for sure.

Greg:

Is the early sex-change to female a sure thing, or is there still a % of males left which must be sorted out?

theo, We would get 100% females at high enough levels of estorgen. We were playing with lower dosage rates of 17-beta estradiol and then it would not be 100%, pretty easy to do really. Problem is to sell these sex reversed fish it would require FDA approval in case said fish were eaten. In other words $$ is not there to do the studies to prove it is safe. Some folks are trying to do chi square stuff by crossing sex reveresed male with ? (can't remember my genetics)and that will get all females that are not treated with hormones. That is the way to go but hatcheries have been talking about it for years now and not avail yet. If so they will come with hefty price tag as you can image.

So...pretty much forget about female only bass and do a LOT of catching and eating?

You have a choice. Either forget about the all female bass or forget about the budget.

Joe for now I agree with DD. Heck I might have to go thru my old notes and start producing these again since no one seems like they can do it.

How big is your pond JOe? If small you gotta chance b/c we only stock 15-25 adult size per acre. So with someone who knows what they are doing you can add some and might not get a male. Problem is we have done it on 10 acres and chance of getting one male obviously goes up.

I don't think there is any need to feed it after they become sexed.