Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Reintroducing brown bullhead catfish

Greetings everyone,

My pond dried up all the way back in July of 2000, and is doing fine now. All of the fish species returned naturally (except the catfish), and I'm not sure how they did. It's possible their eggs survived in the mud, they migrated back upstream from some unknown location (my pond drains into a creek), or came from somewhere upstream.

Anyway, there are largemouth bass, bluegill, mosquito fish, shiners, warmouth and crawfish in the pond again. Only the brown bullheads didn't return and I'm not sure why. I know I can catch some in nearby lakes, but I don't want to them to bring in any diseases or foreign plant matter. Is there any place online where I can order these fish? Thanks a bunch.

Welcome to Pond Boss alucard!

It is most likely the species repopulated your pond either by migrating up the drainage that leads into the creek, or washed into your pond from another body of water further up the drainage. It is highly likely to impossible the eggs survived in the mud. If the brown bullheads died off, everything did including the eggs as they are about as hardy as they come.

I am aware of perhaps two or three hatcheries that sell brown bullheads. However, they are all northern hatcheries, with the closest I can think of being in WV.

If other fish are naturally finding their way into your pond, they are also bring their parasites and diseases with them. Your only choice may be to source brown bullheads from another pond. Just realize the risks and decide how bad you want bullheads back in your pond. Have you considered channel cats instead of bullheads? They are much easier to source from hatcheries and cheaper as well.

Welcome alucard! CJ knows tons more than I do so I have no more to add only that I completely understand your affinity for brown bullheads. One of the fish (peacock bass being the other) that got me hooked on fishing. Haven't looked back since! Tell us more about the pond.

I never considered channel cats because they are not native to the pond, while the brown bullheads are. I've come to the conclusion that I'll go catch some bullheads in Lake Talquin or another nearby lake and bring them over to my pond. I was considering doing this for a long time anyways. Thanks for your advice.

My pond is 5 acres or so in size and extremely productive. It's full of bass and decent size bluegill along with warmouth and tons of crawfish. It also has a small island on it, and the channels on each side of it are great fishing spots. It's only 7 feet deep max though. There's also tons of turtles and wildlife that come to drink the water. The pond is pretty much in the middle of the woods, and a pleasure to watch over and protect. Is there anything else you guys want to know?

You want them, I want to get rid of them. Is there anything you want to get rid of, maybe I can meet you in bama

Sounds like a neat pond... Is it natural or man made? What part of FL are you in? There is a good likelihood it also has sailfin mollies, golden topminnows and American flagfish, as they often colonize bodies of water similar to yours in FL.

It's a natural pond in Tallahassee, Fl. There are no sailfin mollies, topminnows or American flagfish in the pond. The only fish that I know live in the pond are largemouth bass, bluegill, warmouth, shiners, mosquito fish and crawfish. Then again, it's possbile there are fish species that I don't know about which can easily be in the pond.

Thanks for the offer 'finally a pond', but I know exactly where to catch the brown bullheads I want. It's good to know there's an online community dedicated to managing small ponds. I'll definitely be visiting this website to share information and learn more about management.

What type of shiners are in there? There are several species native to that area... If you are unsure and want to photograph some, I can help ID them for you.

They're the run of the mill golden shiners, guess I should have made that clear.