Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations BG tail condition, observations

I've been trapping BG in my neighbors non managed, no feeding, no aeration farm pond.

The overall health of his BG is pretty good. No parasites seen.
The only thing I noticed are the tails looks ragged out.
The BG in my aerated/fed/limed pond look basically the same, but the tails are much better looking.

I'll try to get a picture of them side by side.
Just an interesting observation.

It's the trap, clay. They beat their tails up on the wire trying to get out. I see that in my fish when I trap them. Fish caught on hook/line are pristine.

Ha! And here I was trying to justify my expensive pond management!

Lol....yeah, I think we all look for ways to justify our time, efforts and dollars spent on our ponds.

I wonder how blue gill spawn. I know when silver dollars spawn the male wraps his tail under the female as she lays her eggs. His tail gets all ratty for those weeks.

I've watched mine spawning several times this summer. After he's circled her many, many times and she's decided it's time, she'll lie on her side on the bottom of the nest, and he'll immediately move in along side her and as she dispells her row, he's fertilizing them. They get all frantic in the moment, but somehow stay side by side for a second. They may do this a dozen or more times until she leaves.

I can tell when a bull has a female on the nest or eggs hes guarding now from watching how he acts from the front door.

GSF spawn in much the same manner, and while its said they only spawn once a season, I've watched the same male tending nests for weeks before he'll abandon the nest. Then a few weeks later, he'll be back. I know I've watched the same fish (very distinct dark markings on his side) tending different nests at least 3 or 4 times. Ive watched this particular fish for almost two years now. He was about 5" the first time I saw him. Hes well over 7 now and still sports that same black splotch on the right side behind his gill plate. Covers almost half his side.

Both the BG and GSF spawn in the same area at the same times. Not planning on it, but I wouldn't be surprised to end up with hybrids at some point. Just another carrot in the stew!!

Could be the trap, could be spawning, could be water quality. Pics would help. Will try next week to post info from book on BG detailing spawning - very intricate.