Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Blue Gill eating FA

Filleted some BG last night for dinner. Thought that I would check some stomach contents while I was at it. I was surprised to find over half of them had a fair amount of FA in their gullet. I have seen BG grazing among the FA but thought that they were just eating insects and micro organisms hiding within.

Anybody have any thoughts on this?

I think most FA is incidentally eaten by BG along with targeted invertebrates living in it, as you suspected.

Blaine, I agree with Theo. The algae was probably just ketchup on the gills main prey. I don't think the stomach PH of bluegill is nearly low enough to extract any nutrient value from the algae.

I think BG's mouth is designed to move everything 1 way. When they get a long string of algae in their mouth, they have no choice but to swallow it.

BG do eat a little plant matter, just don't know if it's ever a significant part of the diet.

When small BG do eat plankton/plant material as food. Most studies on BG stomach contents reveal various plant matter. Whether they eat it as food or by accident is a good question.

From - Bluegills Biology and Behavior - Spotte. Chapter 3 Foraging p 33 - " Bluegills also eat plants. Stomachs of specimens caught in Illinois had 24% plant material by volume, Wisconsin fish (mostly adults) held 20% , a sample from Minnesota yielded 16% , and some bluegills from Ontario contained 26%. Algae constituted 50% of the stomach contents of 42 Mississippi bluegills , but whether algae alone can meet metabolic requirements is questionable. Of 81 specimens averaging 128 mm FL (94-175mm FL) caught by angling in Wyland Lake Indiana , 29 had consumed algae or dead aquatic macrophytes."

Indiana bluegills partake in a beer now and then too.

This is a good question to pose, Blaine as I've noticed that in the past as well.

Not to hijack, but I have noticed in one of my ponds where I have high qtys of GSH and FHM stocked the FA is nearly nonexistent. I can't explain it as other ponds with the same chemistry have significantly more FA - all other parameters being equal to my knowledge. Could GSH and FHM also be targeting FA?

I have observed both FHM and GSH grazing FA. It may not be their preferred food, but they will eat it.

Call me crazy....When my .2 acre forage pond was very low this spring, probably only 4' deep, 10' across and 15' long, I witnessed a school of FHM attack and completely devour a cottonwood leaf that blew off a twig and into the pond. I had been feeding them pellets regularly to that point but had skipped four days and was about to throw pellets when I witnessed this. They were apparently ravenous but looking for anything touching the surface of the water.

I thought I was hallucinating, but they entirely consumed the leaf. I had never heard of such a thing before, and am somewhat embarrassed to even post this as I realize it sounds unbelievable. Barring a flashback, this indeed happened, and would lend some support to the hypothesis they would also graze on FA.

Dude...you're crazy.

FHM eating leaves... Now those are some hungry fish! You didn't put your fingers in there did you?

My FA has been so bad this summer that I think they need to eat a path just to get to where they want to go!

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In pond boss vernacular:

One species short of a stocking plan.

One foot shy of full pool.

One diffuser short of an aeration system.

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Fishing without a hook.

Trolling without a motor.

Spraying weeds without a surfactant.

What's this stuff about a motor for trolling? No wonder I get so tired. Dangit.

One scale short of a lateral line.

1 ring short on his otolith

I had a feeling I shouldn't post - this audience obviously isn't ready for the introduction of a new species of minnow - the Western Cottonwood Minnow. No one is going to believe my story about Sasquatch flying a UFO over my property last night, either? I believe this was the general reaction to the first hypothesis of a spherical Earth, too. Keep that in mind, naysayers.

WCM - good forage, grazes on FA, helps trim the Cottonwood trees.

JHAP!!!! Quit flyin that Da** Deathstar over Nebraska! You're freaking out the locals!

Jeezo Jeff, that was you at the helm? I thought you were sporting a little less hair than that...
I don't mind flybys, but try to keep the altitude ABOVE 100' next time. I'm still glowing.

I must be crazy to as I have found them very aggressive for their size. I've had them attack my fishing float that was many times their size.

Okay, attacking a float tube, attacking a cottonwood leaf. I feel I'm in good company with Cecil.

I think Bruce has been selectively breeding FHM in NE and hasn't told anyone. They've gotten lose and now TJ has some! They were artificially implanted with piranha and tilapia genetics.

It wouldn't be the first time a diminutive fish is actually quite aggressive. Ever see the teeth in smelt? If they were bigger they would rival the teeth of musky and pike.

Rainbow smelt are nasty little predators in their own right... When they are introduced to lakes they are not native to, they often extirpate the native trout as they eat all the baby trout before they get big enough to eat them! We used to catch them ice fishing and net them in the spring when they made their spawning runs in Raystown Lake in PA.