Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Mallards and fatheads minnows?

O.k. guys what's your opinion on this? I have asked some very knowledgeable people and gotten conflicting opinions.

I have a pair of mallards that are showing up now and them on one of my 1/10th acre holding ponds in the back. I just planted it with 16 lbs. of fatheads that I am holding over about 50 large yellow perch until live pick up. Now I know mallards are considered a "puddle duck" and esentially herbivores, but I have to wonder if with the limited vegetation along the edges the fatheads are hiding in, if the mallards would pick off some of the fatheads.

I've been told by two very knowledgeable gentlemen not to worry about it, but one very knowledgeable fish farmer tells me they will pick off fatheads.

What do you think? Remember the water is quite cold and the fatheads may be moving even slower than normal and in dense schools.

Cecil - many years ago I helped a friend transfer some 1-2" BG to his pond, a few of them didn't make it, while pouring the small BG in his pond a hen mallard came over and eagerly ate every single BG that had died on the trip over.

After seeing that my guess is yes, the mallards are getting some of your fatheads. How many they are stealing from your YP is hard to say.

http://www.centralpets.com/animals/birds/domestic_birds/dbd4863.html


Mallard Ducks spend most of their time foraging for food. They eat a number of items including insects, fish eggs, small fish, tadpoles, wild rice, berries, leaves, green plant shoots, and grain. Most of this food is acquired from foraging in muddy areas in or near the water and embankment of the Mallard Duck's home. The Mallard Duck uses its bill to filter food from the mud.

Now if you are feeding pellets to those YP then look at this :

Ewest,

Now those are some pretty brave or hungry mallards -- or probably both!

O.K. I'm sicking the dog after them. At least they are not as difficult to scare away as the herons!

Cecil: I raise and sell mallards. I have anywhere from 25-100 mallards on a 1/10 acre pond at any given time. I also use the same pond as a forage pond. It has FH,GSH and RES in it. I very rarely see any fish eaten. They eat so few, I haven't seen any impact at all.