Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Will Big BG encourage my small BG to grow

The Zett's 'clams', I assume are freshwater mussels and not invasive species of zebra mussels and corbicula (Asian clam). Native mussels are filter feeders each one filtering gallons of water each day to eat / remove silt, bacteria, and quite a bit of plankton thus they compete with fish smaller than fingerling size. Filtering the water should make the water clearer depending on how many mussels are present. Most freshwater mussel species in the central US are mostly stream dwelling species. Only a few of them are pond dwellers such as in order of most common in ponds: 'giant floater' Pyganodon grandis, 'fatmucket' Lampsilis siliquoidea, and 'eastern pond mussel' Ligumia nasuta.

The RES should eat the young clams less than 0.5" long.

Kirk,
See if my pictures in this link from a prior post and the discussion in that thread helps you at all. It sounds like yours snails are different than mine?

Snails

I am fairly certain that I have Jap. Trap door snails as that is what comes in the package. Just to be clear to everyone here - I am not blaming Zett's in any way for my situation. They advertised them as part of the package which I picked out and paid for it knowing I was getting them.

I understand based on input here that snails are vectors of parasites but they also should provide other functions and at least food to my RES. Maybe I can find a good recipe as well as I am not above trying to cook them. It is my understanding that the Jap Trap Door will not reproduce as fast as other snails and that they give birth to live young. Maybe the experts can chime in and tell me where I am wrong.

Bon appetit.

Where are you commuting from to go to Ohio? How long does the drive take you?

I could potentially have some 6"+ BG you could take to Ohio with you if it's not that bad of a drive. I suspect I'm within your area based on other comments made. Transporting fish this time of the year isn't the best idea, but towards the end of summer and into fall it can be done for longer rides with oxygen pumped into your tank/trashcan/large cooler.

I wanted to give you guys an update. I was supposed to go to Fenders and pick up big BG last Wednesday. I got a call on Tuesday and they told me they were unable to get the BG size of BG I needed but offered some 4" BG. I thanked them for their effort and the call but passed up on the 4" BG since they aren't all that much bigger than what I have. Bill, I think you said they probably could not get them this time of year and you were right.

I did remove about 8 LMB. I caught a couple more but they were probably 2" bigger than the ones I removed and I couldn't bring myself to remove such a good looking fish. I am guessing you guys are going to say I should have removed them for sure since they are obviously eating more of the current pond population than the others.

I also installed a fish feeder and have it feeding a very small amount of food each day which will hopefully get them trained for pellets after some time.

Thanks for all the help on this topic.

Lukkyseven, I am coming from just east of Fredericksburg, Va. takes me about 7.5 hours. Thanks for the offer but think I will stick it out here for a bit and see what happens.