Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Yellow bass

The yellow bass inhabits large rivers and their backwaters, lakes, and quiet pools (Clay 1975; Douglas 1974; Eddy and Underhill 1974; Etnier and Starnes 1993; Pflieger 1997; Phillips et. al. 1982; Robison and Buchanan 1988;). It is a schooling fish characteristic of sluggish waters, but may be found in rapids or gravel-bottomed open water when it spawns (Clay 1975; Etnier and Starnes 1993; Phillips et. al. 1982). It tolerates varying turbidity, but prefers clearer water with vegetation (Etnier and Starnes 1993; Robison and Buchanan 1988). In Iowa, it inhabits clear to slightly turbid waters over a firm bottom of sand, gravel, rubble and mud (Harlan et al. 1987).

Spawning habitat: Gravelly bottoms in waters 0.6-0.9m deep (Burgess 1980; Pflieger 1997). Phytolithophils; nonobligatory plant spawner that deposit eggs on submerged items (Simon 1999; Balon 1981).

Reproductive strategy: While spawning, the female lies partly on her right side and ejects eggs toward the male, who remains upright over her and fertilizes the eggs as they are released; females do not release their entire egg complement in a single spawning (Burnham 1909). The eggs hatch in 4 to 6 days at a temperature of 21 degrees C, and yolk sac is absorbed in 4 days (Burgess 1980; Pflieger 1997; Carlander 1997). Phytolithophils have late hatching larvae with cement glands in free embryos, have larvae with moderately developed respiratory structures, and have larvae that are photophobic (Simon 1999; Balon 1981).