Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Feeding Fathead minnows dont last long!

I dug a little 1/10 acre pond a few weeks ago and dropped a few brook trout in it to see how they fair and was feeding them pellets.
Today I bought two pounds of fatheads to dump in there and see what happens. All I can say is I understand why everyone says they wont last in a pond too long once predators are introduced. It was a feeding frenzy! Those trout are on the bottom of the pond now with round bellies. I think they ate more than half of the fatheads in under 20 minutes.

Neat sight, isn't it.

Brianshpock,

Tell us more about your set up so we can compare notes.

Don't you just love brook trout! I love those colors in the fall! And oh do they like to eat. Here's one that couldn't get enough pellets! Just remember the pellets are cheaper than the fatheads.



and another (Just got out of bed)



And they will feed through the ice! Note: Don't feed them too much in really cold water.




I don't feed them as much anymore!

Cecil,
I am just experimenting at this point in the game. I have been waiting for 4 years now to get a pond dug.
First the timber company I signed a contract with screwed around and it took them almost three years to cut down the trees. When they finally finished cutting down the trees the weather went south and it keeps raining here so the ground is almost impossible to work with. My goal is to have two small 1/10 acre ponds and one 1 acre pond. I figure I could have fathead minnows in one of the smaller ones and trout in the other and have it overflow into the larger pond with HSB, LMB, BG and CC . I
I just want a pond so badly I went out with my skidloader (not exactly the right machine for the job)and dug one to experiment and see what king of flow I will get from the numerous springs that traverse through the area. I dug a hole about 1/10 an acre and have put 30 trout in it that I caught from the state stocking program. They are all around 16 in long.
I was curious how they would react to fatheads and was surprised how dumb the fatheads were they swam from the end I put cover in for them to the end I had no cover where the trout were and they were an appetizer. I was amazed how aggresive the trout were at gobbling them up.

Sounds iike a plan. I know all about the waiting. Had to wait on a excavator six months once to dig my first trout pond. He finally showed up in the fall when it was too late to really get any grass growing around the edges and I had erosion problems.

Are HSB available in PA? If so where?

Since your trout are from a hatchery they should readily eat pellets. Pellets are much cheaper and provide more nutrition per pound than fatheads.

I believe Sunil's guy has HSB. 20 miles north of Harrisburg (I think). About 100 SW of Brian.

The hatchery I have bought from used to have them (about 90 miles due south of Brian). I don't think he has them anymore.

Here is the listing I got from the PA Fish Comm. of Hatcheries in the state. There are a few places that have HSB. http://resources.cas.psu.edu/WaterResources/pdfs/SportsFishDirectory.pdf

RobA,
Susquehanna Aquacultures, Inc. of York Haven is probable the place for the HSB. I had called them and they are available in May. They only sell 10-12 inch fish. I think the price was $3.50 each. There are listed on the above link also.

Thanks Brian. I didn't know about Susquehanna Aquacultures.
They are about 65 miles from my place. I am considering HSB in the future and may give them a call.