Just put a 1 acre pond in last year. In Oct stocked LMB, BG, Hybrid BG, RES, and CC. Just caught this today and not sure what it is if any of those. Thanks for any help.
My best guess would be a hybrid bg/ redear cross. How big we're the fish when you stocked them? Do you think it came from the hatchery like that or was born in your pond?
They were only 2" when stocked last fall and this one is about4". I'm guessing that they came from hatchery that way, don't think they've been in there long enough to reproduce and grow that size. Could it be a res/gs cross?
They were only 2" when stocked last fall and this one is about4". I'm guessing that they came from hatchery that way, don't think they've been in there long enough to reproduce and grow that size. Could it be a res/gs cross?
The green bars on the cheek say GSF and the semi-solid orange tab says RES influence. So I would say RES/GSF cross. A couple of threads with info and picutures of the potential cross.
Too tall of aspect ratio of the body height to mouth size to be pure GSF in my opinion. Looks just like my RES/GSF cross fish.
The next thread is my forage pond thread, linked to the first post where I am suspecting GSF influence in some of my fingerlings that should be pure RES. As the thread progresses I become more confident that some of the fingerlings are indeed RES/GSF instead of just RES fingerlings I'm supposed to be raising in that particular pond. Then later yet in the thread I catch the GSF culprits that are the breeding stock that is giving me the hybrids (and more than a few pure GSF).
Specific post with several RESxGSF hybrids post with pictures of several RESxGSF hybrids I am pretty sure on the identification because all that was ever in this pond was RES and a few GSF. Never any BG.
Here is a post with pictures of two of the potential parental GSF that were caught and removed from my forage pond for comparison purposes. post with pics of two GSF and one RES from pond that is creating hybrids Lots of hybrid pictures in the post right below the linked post and scattered on down the thread.
Of note above the fish has a short pectoral fin like a GSF. BG have mid to long pect fins and RES have very long pect fins. Most HBG have short to mid pect fin length and most RES crosses have longer pect fins (than a HBG or GSF) . This is only one aspect but is an interesting one to watch.
I was referring to the stated species or cross. I edited my post to make it clearer - edit in blue. I have seen HBG that have a somewhat orange/red spot/tint on the ear flap. Given the situation I think this is a HBG or possibly a missorted cross and not a cross that was born in the pond. The pink color is also shown on the fish in other features (not just on the ear flap edge).
My GSF definitely have a orange/pink translucent opercular tab border. If it is laying against the fish it is that color or if the fish has it flared out it often just looks whitish or translucent.
The differences I see in my GSF and RES is that the GSF is of a translucent nature and wraps around all three sides of the opercular tab. The RES is a solid red or orange and is usually more to the rear of the tab rather than wrapping all the way around. If the RES has the tab flared out it can be seen through it so looks a little translucent but not when pressed against the fish.
The hybrids I get often have a combination. There may be some solid but also translucent on the top and bottom. But mostly what gives it away as a hybrid rather than a GSF is the aspect ratio of mouth size to the verticle height of the fish. It might look like a GSF mostly but will be taller than a pure GSF would be.
What has helped me identify my own fish (but not necessarily others) is being able to have the species side by side or at least one caught after another and the fact that I have a pond that has no BG or fish other than mostly RES with a few GSF. Once the fish get transferred to my main pond, when I catch them, I am a lot less confident of my ID. But when they come from my forage pond I really only have one of three possibilities. RES, GSF, or a hybrid thereof. If I ever catch a BG in that pond I might have to reevaluate. But none were stocked and none caught to date.
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