Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Raising Forage and Bait Minnow spawn pond density

I want to add some FHM to a 200 gallon tank and let them grow out and multiply. Is there a known density that they'll taper off on production?

-Jim

I can't answer that, but I think each male guards approximately an 18"x18" territory if there's nothing blocking his sight of his "next door" neighbor.

You also don't want to exceed oxygen requirements, which will be your first limiting factor. Then comes ammonia and nitrites. That is unless your tank is a flow through tank.

Your amount of ammonia and nitrites your tank can handle are based on on your biofilter capacity and your ability to remove solids.

That said, I would not think you would need anywhere near the capacity of a biofilter for a 200 gallon tank to produce offspring.

Do newly hatched fatheads readily accept artificial feed or do thy need zooplankton for a period of time? If it's the latter you will have issues with high mortality if you don't offer any zooplankton.

I have water circulating through a few tanks and pouring into the big tank. I'm expecting the 'water fall' to take care of the O2/CO2 and volatilize some of the ammonia. I've been using vegetation to absorb the nitrates up to this point and do 10% water changes here and there.

Once they hatch out, there should be a zillion fry and I could just remove the brood stock. Right? There's visible planktonic algae and zooplankton so I expect they can eat that and fish feed particulates.

All sound good?

It's far cheaper to just buy FHM than to try to raise them in an aquarium. Just my take on it...If you want to do it for fun, have at it though.

Agreed. Or dump some in a small pond without predator fish and let them do their thing.

If you have a good hatch from around 1/2 dozen females you will run out of zooplankton in a hurry (several days) to feed them. Once the fry absorb all the stored food reserves you will see large die offs.

Maybe it's time to remove the gambusia and sailfin mollies from the 'Swimming Pool Gone Green' and just use that. Thanks guys.

I would innoculate you green water transfer with some pond water to make sure you have some zooplankton started. Zooplankton originate in pond soil.

It's supported mollies, shiners, gambusia and bream for about a year and a half. Certainly there are zooplankton present, right?

Well, I picked up 2 dozen fat heads from the bait shop. I had to leave them in the bucket w/ the blue water longer than they liked. I'm down to a dozen. Now that they're in a barrel awaiting the swimming pool to get de-stocked.

Are brine shrimp small enough zooplankton for small young fish other then just minnows?

Would it be worth hatching brine shrimp and letting them go into the pond?

Cheers Don.

You feasibly cannot hatch enough brine shrimp to make a significant difference to feed fish fry in a sportfish pond. Although newly hatched brine shrimp are acceptable foods to fry primarily after the fry are a few days after swim-up. First foods of many species of fry are rotifers as they are absorbing the last portions of yolk and oil droplet.

I see thanks Bill.

My thoughts were that would be one huge pile of shrimp to hatch out everyday.

Cheers Don.