Pond Boss Magazine
https://www.pondboss.com/images/userfiles/image/20130301193901_6_150by50orangewhyshouldsubscribejpeg.jpg
Advertisment
Newest Members
Shotgun01, Dan H, Stipker, LunkerHunt23, Jeanjules
18,451 Registered Users
Forum Statistics
Forums36
Topics40,899
Posts557,050
Members18,451
Most Online3,612
Jan 10th, 2023
Top Posters
esshup 28,407
ewest 21,474
Cecil Baird1 20,043
Bill Cody 15,110
Who's Online Now
2 members (Rainman, Bobbss), 284 guests, and 147 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 14
F
Felt Offline OP
OP Offline
F
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 14
I have a newly cleaned pond and kids are requesting no fish. I think the bluegill had gotten out of control and they were often bitten pretty hard, I also was torpedoed in the back once (possibly a careless bass lol). To my knowledge we had bluegill, bass, perch, and grass carp. So, what fish are necessary to keep the pond healthy, but the least of a nuisance to swimmers? We are in NW Ohio and do have pet ducks, if it matters. I am also planning on buying a new fountain/aerator to keep it as healthy as well.

Last edited by Felt; 10/16/19 09:04 PM.
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,424
Likes: 19
J
Offline
J
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,424
Likes: 19
Ducks will make a pond nasty to swim in.

Put in a few dozen Gambusia (mosquitofish) to eliminate mosquito larvae. They only get about two inches long, and won't bother people swimming. They are native livebearers, and will, in the first summer, multiply manyfold.

Joined: May 2018
Posts: 1,878
Likes: 278
J
Offline
J
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 1,878
Likes: 278
Felt,

If you were going to go in with only one fish you might consider smallmouth bass. The small ones will eat the things your bluegill were eating and the larger ones will eat the smaller ones. There will never be as many fish as you had when the BOW contained bluegill. You wouldn't need aeration though it wouldn't hurt to do it. Buck and Thoits noted that their SMB monoculture could be cropped heavily with no detriment to the Spring Standing weights noting in at least one BOW that the annual crop was larger than the BOW could likely carry. A BOW will carry a greater weight of SMB than LMB and a lesser weight than BG. They are kind of a blend of LMB and BG in terms of the foods they tend to eat.

Provided they could reproduce in your BOW they may be a good choice. If Gambusia are native in your region, I do like John's rec or perhaps other local small minnows. Small minnows could be a prey fish for the SMB as well.

Last edited by jpsdad; 10/16/19 06:25 PM.

It isn't what we don't know that gives us trouble, it's what we know that ain't so - Will Rogers


Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,110
Likes: 476
B
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Offline
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
B
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,110
Likes: 476
I second the idea of just SMB for the same reasons. They will never bother swimmers and from my experience with this; they will grow to around 9"-10" long. If you have difficulty finding SMB my next option is HSB(hybrid striped bass), third and lesser quality option is LMB. Start with around 40-60 per acre (15-20/0.3 ac) by themselves. They will achieve their natural density per acre after 4-5 yrs. Note the HSB will not reproduce and will need periodic restocking as you notice fewer are present. The HSB will respond well to pellet feeding to entertain the kids.

Last edited by Bill Cody; 10/16/19 07:09 PM.

aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine -
America's Journal of Pond Management
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,424
Likes: 19
J
Offline
J
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,424
Likes: 19
A few pellet fed CC will entertain also, with their heads sticking up and circling whilst scooping up pellets. They won't bother swimmers either.

Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,714
Likes: 281
R
RAH Offline
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
R
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,714
Likes: 281
Consider RES as well for snail control, perhaps combined with gambusia and SMB. I know this is 3 species not 1.


Link Copied to Clipboard
Today's Birthdays
Bob Lusk, GaryK, GrizzFan, PhotographerDave
Recent Posts
Happy Birthday Bob Lusk!!
by Rainman - 03/28/24 02:53 AM
Relative weight charts in Excel ? Calculations?
by Mark Dyer - 03/27/24 10:18 PM
Reducing fish biomass
by esshup - 03/27/24 06:17 PM
New 2 acre pond stocking plan
by esshup - 03/27/24 06:05 PM
1 year after stocking question
by esshup - 03/27/24 06:02 PM
Questions and Feedback on SMB
by Donatello - 03/27/24 03:10 PM
Paper-shell crayfish and Japanese snails
by Bill Cody - 03/27/24 10:18 AM
Brooder Shiners and Fry, What to do??
by esshup - 03/27/24 08:47 AM
2024 North Texas Optimal BG food Group Buy
by Dave Davidson1 - 03/27/24 08:15 AM
Dewatering bags seeded to form berms?
by esshup - 03/26/24 10:00 PM
Freeze Danger? - Electric Diaphragm Pump
by esshup - 03/26/24 09:47 PM
Newly Uploaded Images
Eagles Over The Pond Yesterday
Eagles Over The Pond Yesterday
by Tbar, December 10
Deer at Theo's 2023
Deer at Theo's 2023
by Theo Gallus, November 13
Minnow identification
Minnow identification
by Mike Troyer, October 6
Sharing the Food
Sharing the Food
by FishinRod, September 9
Nice BGxRES
Nice BGxRES
by Theo Gallus, July 28
Snake Identification
Snake Identification
by Rangersedge, July 12

� 2014 POND BOSS INC. all rights reserved USA and Worldwide

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5