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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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I wonder if the young adult & normal adult BG will be able to create bowl shapes as spawning beds in gravel that large. As the BG get large they should be able to better move the gravel into depression shapes. Initially I think some of the BG will use the beds made by the bass who spawn before BG. BG may not need to have much of a depression shape for a successful nest?
This thread of spawning bed info went into the Archives in the topic Growing Some Big Bluegill.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 01/27/18 09:07 PM.
aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine - America's Journal of Pond Management
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Scholarly works are lacking, but 8 - 32mm and half dollar sized (30+mm), are the sizes considered optimal. There was a paper that provided the 8-32mm number out here, but the link seems to have gone dead.
I don't think the BG will have a problem pushing these around.
The key to spawning success seems to be to provide shelter between the stones for eggs and yolk-attached fry.
4 acre pond 32 ft deep within East Texas (Livingston) timber ranch. Filled (to the top of an almost finished dam) by Hurricane Harvey 9/17. Stocked with FHM, CNBG, RES 10/17. Added 35lbs RSC 3/18. 400 N LMB fingerlings 6/18
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Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Role of Male Parental Care in Survival of Larval Bluegills MARK B. BAIN AND LOUIS A. HELFRICH Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Science• Virginia Polytechinc Institute and State U niversity Blacksburg, Virginia 24061
Abstract Mortality of larval bluegills Lepomis macrochirus from predation was measured in 56 nests guarded by males and 21 nests from which the male guard was removed. Mortality was s ignificantly greater in unguarded nests(median= 68%)than in guardian nests (median= 14%).Fish traps placed in unguarded nests captured significantly more predators than traps placed in guarded nests. Bluegills( 3-12 cm total length)w ere the most abundant nest predators Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus (7• -11 cm),largemouth bass M icropterus salmoides(4- 5 cm),and whitefin shiners Notropis niveus(5 -6 cm) also were nest predators. Nest preparation by male bluegills exposed coarse gravel( 8-32 mm diameter)and pebbles(3 2-64 mm) in nest substrate and removed particles smaller than 2 mm. Particles larger than 8 mm provided suitable interstitial space to accommodate bluegill larvae. Survival of larvae was directly correlated with the proportion of coarse substrate in the nest.
Some points of interest:
Our data from Virginia implicated juvenile bluegills as the major predators on bluegill larvae, followed in importance by pumpkinseed. Dominey (1981) drew the same conclusions from a New York....
In addition to direct protection afforded larval bluegills by nest-guarding males, nest preparation by the male parent influenced survival of larvae in Lake Caroline. The availability of suitable nesting substrate has been recognized as a major factor affecting reproductive success of centrarchid fishes (Breder 1936; Kramer and Smith 1962; Muncy et al. 1979).
In laboratory observationss, coarse particles provided suitable interstitial space to accommodate yolk-sac bluegill larvae. That coarse substrate may function as protective shelter for larvae was supported by field data: ....
Although other factors undoubtedly influence mortality of tested larvae, our data suggest that predation, particularly intraspecific predation (cannibalism), can be a major cause of early bluegill mortality.
Fishshocker Junior Member
Registered: 20/03/06 Posts: 4 Loc: Ackerman, MS New to this forum, but let me put my 2 cents in. Have been placing gravel to enhance spawning for warmwater fish, mostly Bream/Bass for 25 years and this is what I have observed: A. Bream prefer gravel as a spawning substrate. Why gravel?? Gravel allows for water to circulate throughout the egg mass as the guardian male fans the nest. This in turn carries the oxygen necessary for the survival of the individual eggs. Better circulation = better hatch from each nest = better fisheries dynamics. Washed pea gravel is probably best, but also the most expensive. Washed river rock #57 grade is also good and less costly. Washed rounded rock allows for better circulation. Sand, "white" rock, lime rock all tend to "lock up" and restrict the circulation of water/oxygen to the bottom of the egg mass necessary for egg survival in that part of the egg mass. B. Thickness of the layer of spawning gravel will thin or "pancake" out after several years and eventually becomes useless. The mechanical action of fanning the beds makes the gravel migrate out over time. Counter this by boxing in the gravel with 1x12 inch cypress boards, filling in the outside of the boards with dirt. Looks like a shaved off pitcher's mound with gravel recessed in the ground. Dirt shoulders keep the hooks from snagging as easily. C. Avoid sloping ground, level sites have the greatest use. D. Dispurse the sites according to depth and aspect to allow for greater overall use throughout the spawning season. E. Avoid locating sites adjacent to incoming streams, or tribs, they end up being silted in.
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The gravel is now submerged and the cnbg have built dinner plate sized nests. They like it.
4 acre pond 32 ft deep within East Texas (Livingston) timber ranch. Filled (to the top of an almost finished dam) by Hurricane Harvey 9/17. Stocked with FHM, CNBG, RES 10/17. Added 35lbs RSC 3/18. 400 N LMB fingerlings 6/18
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Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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