Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations growing extra large lmb with crappie as a forage

Tracy, GHS should have been GSH. Golden Shiners.

Just remember the amount of forage fish in the pond combined with the LMB in the pond cannot exceed the carrying capacity of the pond. That's the problem with holding an excessive number of LMB. The amount of forage fish needed in the pond to keep them growing fast pushes the carrying capacity limits, especially if (for instance) year 5 you have a drought and the pond water level drops considerably, and the pond water temp rises. Combine that with a bloom due to the extra nutrients in the reduced water volume and you have a recipe for a summer kill.

Starting year 3, I would make durn sure I had emergency aeration equipment waiting in the wings if I was pushing the carrying capacity of my pond. There isn't enough time to go buy the equipment once a problem is noticed.