Meadowlark was kind enough to give me an update on his Pacu/Hot tub program. Here it is.
I learn something about this interesting, amazing fish all the time. I currently have Pacu estimated at 8, 6, and 4 pounds in my hot tub. The weight is estimated because they have been there since late September when they were 7,5, and 3 pounds measured weight.
This is, needless to say, one imposing fish in any facility let alone a hot tub. You do NOT, repeat NOT, net the large one or smaller two fish either for measuring. They simply are too strong and too wild. I'm not sure how I will get them back in the ponds this spring...probably will remove all the water from the hot tub along with anything breakable and hope I can handle them. I'm looking for something which will also tranqualize them temporarily while moving them to the pond.
About a week ago, I started my annual Pacu replenishment program by purchasing six 2 inch fish from PetSmart and adding them to the hot tub. Mistake, bad mistake. Pacu are vegetarians, right? Wrong, at least in a confined space and fish of a large size. The six small Pacu were down to one by the next day....and even more shocking was the discovery of partial remains of a Tilapia of at least 1/2 pound. I have some 1 pound Tilapia in the hot tub which were unaffected by the apparent killing spree.
I got a great deal this week on some very large shiners for use as winter LMB forage. I'm trying them instead of rainbow trout this year just to see if they may be better or not. This relates to Pacu in the following way...I held back a couple of pounds of the large shiners to add a few at a time to the Pacu in the hot tub. It will be interesting to see what happens, although I think we can predict the result.
Based on this experience, I'm going to have to find a separate tank for raising the small Pacu indoors or just wait and put them in my grow out pond in April until they are predator proof. I was planning to purchase and grow about 20 to 25 Pacu for Pond stocking this year, but those plans are now pending an alternative indoor tank or possibly three grilled large Pacu dinners. I want to see how large these fish can get in two growing seasons, so I'll probably just continue as is for now. I fully expect 15 to 20 pound fish by next fall from the two larger ones.
Let me say a word or two about the sporting qualities of this amazing fish....and I think you probably know that I have some basis for this statement having fished all over the North and South American continents. The Pacu is by far the greatest sporting fish I have ever experienced in fresh water, warm water fishing. Considering all freshwater species that I have experienced, cold and warm, I would rank it right there with the wild Alaskan Steelhead as a sport fish. It can't outshine the salt water flats species of Bonefish, Tarpon and Permit, but it certainly is superior to many other saltwater species.
Hence, in spite of potential problems with carnivorous, cannibalistic behavior, I will continue to raise, stock (in selected ponds) and catch these amazing fish.
