Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose YP Reproduction pond guidance

Thanks for the info. I'm probably going to add some WE, and HSB.
One question, and I'm sure this will show my total ignorance regarding stocking plans. Why would I want the SMB focused on the YP, and not GSH? I haven't added the GSH yet. Would I "not" want the WE, and YP to hammer the SMB spawn?
Thx

FWIW my thought is you need a predator(s) controlling YP YOY so I would want my SMB and WE focused on them. I would want the YP and WE hammering the SMB spawn to control their numbers. I would want a minnow species that will rarely out grow the mouth gap of a larger YP. GSH to me, in the absence of LMB, can grow to a large size and compete with your YP and minnows for forage.

Keep in mind, I am not a pro. I am sure somebody will offer some more experienced opinions.

Makes sense to me Bill.
Thanks

New question....

I stocked my YP last October at 5 to 7 inches. The pond was packed full of FHM (and still is). Will YP grow over the winter given enough forage or do they pretty much just maintain their size till spring?

Get outside and go catch one and measure it !

LOL
Pat

I dun want to disturb the expectant mothers! I just hope they're still in there. Only fish I have seen so far this spring are tons of 1.5 to 2 inch FHM. I have seen a few fast moving V shaped contrails moving across the pond surface though.

I don't think YP do much growing over winter. However with ample food they can gain a little weight and maintain body fat. Females will get plump with eggs.

Thanks Bill.

My yp egg masses seem to be disturbed and have algae growing over them.

What do you mean by "disturbed?"

I am defintely not a pro. IMHO no evidence of spawn in 2014 and the algae growing on the eggs in 2015 suggests to me your strands have not been fertilized and you have mostly/all female YP.

Hopefully, a YP expert will weigh in.

It looks like they were dislodged from the sticks, but remained in the stick pile. Maybe ducks? The stick pile that the eggs were in was covered in algae while stick piles added this winter did not have algae or eggs on them.

I have never seen FA growing on YP eggs. As mentioned possibly your eggs are dead. Try doing what I suggested above. "To tell if they are fertilized pull a small piece off the ribbon or look at the ribbon closely. If the centers are amber or clear-yellow colored they are fertile if the centers are white they were not fertilized. You may see amber and white egg centers in the same strand indicating partial fertilization of the strand and due to too few males. As the eggs develop after 5-7 days the centers will appear dark due development of the eyes on the embryo." Dead eggs will have white centers and developing eggs close to hatching will have black centers.

Bill - I was planning to look at them after 5 days as you suggested. My eyes are not so good up close, so I thought that would be more definitive. Not sure how the rain will affect my plans. I am not sure if the algae is growing on the eggs or just entangled with them. I thought it odd that the YP chose the algae covered branches rather than the clean ones to lay their eggs on.

Take a close up clear in focus picture of the small section, post it, and I should be able to provide a good opinion.

Looks bad

I see what appear to be black dots in some of those eggs. I will be interested in Bill C's assessment.

These were eggs that something disturbed and were on the water surface.

I think those are all dead, unfertilized, eggs with varying degrees of decomposition. I did not see any egg that appeared to be developing normally. It was a pretty good close up picture.

OK - I need to find a source of some small YP.

RAH,

Do you know how big your YP are now?

Nope - Have not ever seen one since stocking.

I think from the size of that partial egg mass it looks like it came from a 10"-12" perch.

Do you think that a YP that size would eat a 3.5" LCS?

""Do you think that a YP that size would eat a 3.5" LCS?" Probably not, especially if there were numerous FHM also in the pond. Do a little fishing to sample the size of your YP with a worm or FHM on a hook fished about 4-5ft deep under a pencil bobber. YP are actively feeding after spawning.