I wouldn't be too concerned about the temperature. Lots of our friends in Texas raise HSB. One late Pond Boss friend, George, kept a crate with an oxygen bottle with him when fishing. When he got an HSB he would give it straight oxygen when the weather was hot and the fish was stressed from bringing it into shore. He wouldn't set it free until it was fully refreshed.

The other thing is that HSB are hybrids from striped bass and white bass. Both are native of very hot regions of the US.

Otters?? I've been lucky. I know a lot of people who have had disastrous problems with them, especially fish farmer friends. No good answers there.

The FHM won't hurt anything. They might help the LMB if you don't have a lot of bluegill. But a good feeding program with quality fish food would probably be more effective, especially if you have a reasonable bluegill base in the pond. The bluegill and the HSB will both take feed very well.


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