Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Creating the food chain Rosy Red Minnow Source

Just FYI On Monday, I checked a couple places for Rosy Red fathead minnows. The first place I checked was where I had obtained some previously. I had planned to just reorder some there, but the cost had significantly increased. I then did an internet search, found the following site http://www.andersonminnows.com/index.htm and called them. The cost from them was appreciably less and they could have them to my place before 11:30 the next morning. I ordered 10 pounds. They arrived at 9:30 a.m. the next day in two boxes. The FedEx driver asked about them because they didn't stink like some fish shipments she's handled. We opened the box and it had an insulated, heat-sealed, box shaped, plastic bag. Inside it was a clear plastic sack with two cold packs, information, and another clear plastic bag with the actual fish. Each bag probably had 5 or less dead fish and about 5 or 6 regular black/silver fatheads (instead of the red/orange/pink ones). No other types of fish or critters were included. I sorted the dead ones and the regular fatheads out, put the rest in 6 different, fish free ponds, and they took off. YMMV; but I was impressed.

OK, Ranger, just in case I want to add it to the list - YMMV?

sorry... YMMV = Your Mileage May Vary... semi-standard disclaimer... ;-)

Rangersedge, I think I'm going need clarification on just how many ponds you have. Of course I was envious of the 10-12 acre pond, but have since got over it. I may have to reconsider!!

Thanks for the link and heads up on the RFH / minnow source. Let us know how they work out.

Do the RFH work up north too? They sure are prettier then the black ones.

they will work anywhere the black will work, but why have them is the question? Do you want to look at them? Guess what if you can see them so can predator fish and birds. In pond with no fish cool but watch out for the herons and kingfishers. I just stock regular but aroudn the price is the same. Good luck with them.

I haven't seen any of them since stocking. I trust that they are doing well. Probably find out next spring. I stocked the pond with 40 pounds of regular fathead minnows to start. I wanted to put the rosey reds in the sediment ponds I built this summer. They are a lot more visible and I anticipate they won't survive as long in the regular pond; but I just went with them as they were neater looking and will hopefully have a constant resupply in the sediment / forage ponds anyway. There seems to be a huge surplus around here of herons and kingfishers. Not sure why they are protected.

Old thread; but here's an update... About 2 weeks ago I saw very good numbers of rosey red fathead minnows (probably about 3/4" long) in the one sediment basin that has not had regular lake water back up into it. That was promising.

Last weekend, I saw a bullhead head (remainder of body was missing) about a foot up on bank at that basin. That has me a bit concerned for two reasons. First, I don't want any other fish in there. Second, I worry that an otter might have been what caught and separated that head from the rest of the fish.

I am betting for every RRFHM there are a bunch of wild colored ones in that same BOW. Even in ponds without fish predation, RRFHM will naturally over time revert back to their natural coloration through natural selection. That is cool that there are still some RRFHM still in the population though.

The dead bullhead is interesting... Was the bullhead near one of your ponds? Do you think it came from one of them or another near by BOW?

I hope to run a fine mesh dipnet through soon to see if can catch some and examine.

Bullhead was about one foot from water edge of basin and about 50 feet from main BOW.

I've never seen a heron or a kingfisher with a body guard...all that I have encountered were unprotected and at risk............

I use the Rosy Reds or pink FHM for fish behavior comparisons. I also have them in my lily tubs and a fhm combo breeder/lily tank. They are very hard for me to get out here and I must try to make my own source.

They are not the greatest to put into ponds as the so called tuffies, even the camo ones just don't last long. Then add that high vis and they are a predator magnet. Most baitfish hatcheries won't even raise them here. I tried one and he shorted me about 600 fish on an order, and a good percentage that did arrive were gambusia. I had to eat that as I do not burn my customers. The same business told me I did not call back fast enough to complain they had a 24 hour policy I was never informed of. They also deliver to all of the local pet store chains, Petco, Petsmart etc. But they either show up dead, covered with fungus, silver or gambusia. And right on the sign it says Rosy Red Minnows. I always get some fresh faced kid in the fish section and say, hey, those are not Rosy Red minnows, and they reply after looking at the sign, yes they are. What fun.

The high vis helps me on species tracking. I can easily spot which are shiners, which are gambusia and which are fhm in mixed tanks or ponds. I just like to see what species occupy which areas. Also different feeding habits, and which fish school where. It also works in fountains on business properties I manage. They school pretty well and not a lot of people know what they are, they think they are comets. They eat some algae, some mosquito larvae and generally feed themselves.

In my tanks I like them because I know they are still there because they are so easy to see. I have numerous standing water tubs and tanks. Each one may have those, gambusia and a goldfish. If I have a tank or tub without them just a matter of days before I have a mosquito breeding zone. I'll take those larvae and dump them into a tank and watch the feeding frenzy. Even the smallest fish tackle a larva almost as big as themselves.

That bullhead sounds like Rocky Raccoon made it a midnite snack. Otter will eat or chew on the head first.

And no, the supplier I no longer do business with is not Anderson. I contacted Jamie and he was great but Cal banned them from imports so I get to deal with stiffs, who burn me and I throw under the bus every chance I get.

I've had the complete opposite experience with river otters... When one came into my dad's friend's pond and starting cleaning out all his CC, all we found were tails and heads for about a week until he met some high velocity lead head on.

There are photos all over the internet. Catfish still alive with thier heads horribly chewed on. Fish at my otter ponds, crawdads, all missing heads. They love slow bullheads and cats, but hate getting poked by those stickers so they normally catch them head first. Then start chewing away. Most of the time there is nothing left at all. Raccoons are total scavengers. I'll find bullfrogs with head and bone, catfish, bullheads same way. Don't matter to me anyway. Dead bullhead is a good bullhead.

Photos of what?

Photos of catfish being eaten by otters. Or catfish being carried by otters by the head. Or catfish heads being chewed to bone by otters. But I would prefer to stay on topic with Rosy Red Minnows.

Does anyone have some more ideas and options on purchasing FHM and other forage fish.

thanks

When you say ideas, anything in particular?

Like where to buy them at reasonable prices?

When they should or should not be stocked?

How long to wait before adding say bluegill and then your other fish.

thanks

I have not had much luck stocking pinks, or rosy reds fhm. They are pretty much bird food. And if you are going to stock any forage minnows at all, and it is a new pond, stock them first. I just did a pond with a massive baitfish cocktail, no pinks but 1000 normal fhm. I think pinks work best in home aquariums, except my koi ate them. I would stick with normal colored minnows if I was stocking outdoors.

Would it be good to add some other types of minnows or bait fish at the same time?


Are blacks and FHM the same thing?

Golden shiners are a great forage fish, you can get small ones from Anderson by the thousands but I would also get 5 or 10 pounds of adults to get a spawn going this year.

I have been told that the Golden Shiners can take over and each eat the other fish eggs ect. Plus I beleive they can get pretty big as well.

Should this be a concern?


Also what would be considered an adult Golden Shiner, and also an Adult FHM so I can make sure they do spawn this year.

Thanks

It all depends on what your predator fish is going to be, if your going with LG or Smallmouth bass or hybrid striped bass or even crappie then GSH are good but if you want a BG pond then you might want to stick with FHM and provide plenty of spawning structure and cover.

In general I would say adult GSH are atleast 3 or 4", and for FHM about 1 1/2 to 2".