I am new to this and just stocked some FHM but did not sort mine, could this be a problem?
What are Gambusia?
What do you mean by cripples and morts?
Is it ok to but fish in at the same time you put in the FHM?
What is the differences between Fatheads, blacks, shinners, rosy reds, etc. and can you stock them all or is this a problem?
Thanks
Without sorting or inspecting fish when you stock them there could potentially a few problems, miscounts, wrong species and diseased fish.
Cripples are fish that have something wrong, deformed, injured, sick, missing tails, problem fish. Morts are motality or deaths. Dead fish don't stock well. I throw both of these types in the garbage, not in the pond.
Gambusia ar Mosquito Fish
There are FHM or Fathead Minnows. Also known as tuffies. A pink or light colored variety are called Rosy Reds.
Blacks I'm not sure, we have a Sacramento Blackfish, kind of a minnow, I don't use them.
Shiners are usually but not always Golden Shiners, another minnow. I have a pond I just planted with Gambusia, Golden Shiners and Fathead minnows all in there. They sometimes or ideally occupy different areas of the pond and eat different things. Normally they can coexist to some extent.
I try to put fish in that cannot or will not eat my FHM just to get a spawn or two out of them before they are eaten. Otherwise you are not really stocking them but feeding other fish.
