A couple points I neglected to mention. There are hundreds of tadpoles in this little pond all season long and the Fatheads do spawn and they seem to thrive. This tells me that I do have creatures that are on the very low end of the food chain such as phytoplankton etc that these little frogs and fish eat. I do pellet feed the Gills most every evening. My water is never super clear, always has a tinge to it like tea stain. The small amount of dye that I use maybe twice a season changes this brown tea stain to a pleasant greenish tinge. All my fish are probably going to grow third eyes and have horns sticking out of there heads.