Cecil - Are we having a bad day?? Consider the Lk Mich. SMB are genetically more adapted to the cooler waters and are probably better at utilizing crayfish for forage. Does not suprise me that they average larger than the LMB in the same habitat. LMB is a little out of his realm in that area. Make sense? (Side Note: In LK MI where the crayfish are abundant , are zebra mussels also present?)
Reverse the tables and put SMB & LMB in a really warm (80-90 deg year round), mucky bottom, weedy pond and compare growth. And only bgill for forage.
I did't say you shouldn't or couldn't mix LMB & SMB. In fact I did the LMB/SMB mix thing in my old pond which is how I came to this 'new' philosophy. I said I don't like to do it. I feel it creates some sort of unfair competition which relates back to the stress thing between predators that I related to in the large bgill -Pelican Lk post.
By my definition - your LMB & SMB are coexisting OK, only if they are both reproducing and recruiting YOY into the community. That is the true test if a species is successful in nature. It has to reproduce so offspring repopulate after death of the parents. Don't forget your basic principles of population ecology.
I've got to get out to see your shop. I've got a SMB that needs refurbished.
