Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Mussels are present

2.1.3 Fish and freshwater mussel

Other animals may be combined with fish in stocking to obtain higher total protein production. An edible soft-shelled mussel, Lampsilis claibornensis, was introduced into bluegill-largemouth bass ponds to determine if it could be successfully cultured along with fish. This mussel was used fried or in soups and considered to be a desirable species for this purpose. Production of mussels (including shells) per ha in a 12-month period was as follows:

Unfertilized - - - - - - - 58.2 kg
Fertilized - - - - - - - - 1010.2 kg

The mussel was stocked into an 0.8-ha pond along with a standard stocking of per ha of 2500 bluegills, 1250 redear sunfish, and 250 largemouth bass. Mussels became very abundant over the pond bottom and were harvested for a period of 5 years along with the fish. At the end of the 6th year, the pond was drained with the following recovery per ha.

Total fish 464..4 kg
Total mussel meats 399.6

The total weight of mussel plus shells was 1270.8 kg per ha, of which the shucked weight of meats was 31.5 percent. In addition to the fish re-covered on draining, an additional 139.7 kg per ha had been removed by fishing. The average standing crop of fish where no mussels were present was 316.6 kg per ha (Swingle, 1961). In this case the presence of mussels appeared to increase fish production. It is postulated that the apparent increase was real and probably caused by cleaner water resulting from the filtering action of the 49,440 mussels per ha distributed over the pond bottom. Their combined effect in filtering out the detritus and organisms upon which they feed should have helped to reduce the waste materials that are limiting factor in fish production. The effectiveness of these and other animals in maintaining cleaner pond waters should be a rewarding field of research.

It is noteworthy that the difference in production obtained from Congo and Java tilapia receiving daily feeding, as mentioned in Section 1.1, appeared to depend upon their relative ability to maintain clean water. The Java tilapia feed upon artificial feeds, decaying organic matter, their own feces and upon plankton. Consequently, they can be fed at a high daily rate because the pond bottom and waters are kept clean.