Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations NY supplier for Clams and Shrimp

Just wanted to see if anyone here knows where I might either buy or find freshwater clams and or shrimp.

Is there any variety of freshwater shrimp that deal well with the upsate NY weather?

If you were to add shellfish what variety would you add? ( Excluding zebra mussels )

Can Gambusia survive the weather conditions in NY?


I am just trying to add variety and something more for my SMB and perch to chew on. I already have snails everywhere but wanted to find something else new to add in to the eco system.

Thanks!

Seems to me with the VHS restrictions you may have a hard time. Even if you didn't I'd be leary of adding anything to your pond with the VHS showing up in inland waterways of your state. Do you have crayfish in the pond now?

Additionally I don't know about New York but in my state of Indiana freshwater clams and mussels are protected and it is illegal to even have the empty shells.

Cecil, I hear you on the VHS issue. I do have or did have crayfish in the pond. Many of them left when the waters got high. Since the SMB have been getting bigger, I havent seen any around for a while. That does not mean they are not there. I just wanted to add more diversity.

I think that in NY you can have clams and such as longas not Zebra type. I am trying to figure out where to find them. I think one of my neighbors has some in her pond but she is connected directly up to Lake Ontario. That in itself gets me a bit nervous.

Eric, Freshwater shrimp (Palaemonetes kadiakenis) survives on the southern shore of Lake Erie near Sundusky. Its range extends to souhern shore of Lake Ontario. If you want crayfish to stay in your pond year round you should be using Papershell crayfish (Orconectes immunis).

It is very doubtful if Gambusia will survive your winters. Ice cover lowers their chances of escaping predation due to they cannot skip or jump above the surface.

Bill, Thanks that is what I was looking to find out. I assume the freshwater shrimp your talking about is the "Ghost Shrimp"? I see them in the fish stores. I was thinking of buying some and adding them in but was worried about thier chance of survival and or their ability to stand up to the elements.

I will look into the Papershell crayfish (Orconectes immunis). I just grabbed what was in the creek when I added them. was strange watching them march up the driveway when we had heavy rains.

Bummer on the Gambusia I would have loved to try them in the pond.