Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Sexing Yellow Perch

You should consider putting this years YP crop through a minimal cold period so you can better recognize male vs females next spring.

For sure. Either a chiller inside or put them in a cage this winter. I prefer the latter as chillers are expensive and I'd have to increase my biofilter size substantially.

Too bad you couldn't pump the 54�F well water thru the inside tank to drop the temp.

Flow through could be an option but how long would it take? There's only one study out there that documented the time it took at a particular temp and it was in Minnesota. It was something ridiculous like 180 days. My guess is it would be less days and higher temos for more southern strains.

I'm going to talk to Rob Rode of Purdue and ask him. He accidentally got an off season spawn in a perch tank. Somehow the water got cold and he didn't know about it.

I think if you dropped the temperature to 50-55F for 30-40 days that would be enough to stimulate egg production. Keep in mind that YP start developing eggs in August of the prior year to spawning. Thus I am not sure why the cold period is mandatory. I have cleaned YP in the Sep-Oct that contained developing ovaries (eggs). Take that info to Rob Rode and report back here. Thanks.

Take that info to RR and report back here. On the double.
YES SIR

Not you Bob, Cecil!