And not what Dave, esshup, Bill, Bob, or ewest thinks is consumable. It's what is actually consumed.
I am not sure what is meant by the comment of ...."what Dave, esshup, Bill, Bob, or ewest thinks is consumable."
Obviously if the forage item is not eaten for whatever reason it has no benefit for the physical growth of that fish at that instant . However if that uneaten forage item is able to reproduce it does have a benefit to that fish and other fish who can benefit from the reproduction that is consumed a later point in time.
The other variable to this lack of growth of the LMB is one has to remember this FL pond has the possibility of other species of forage available to the LMB as noted by in posts by J.E.Craig as "The pond’s original populations include LMB, CNBG, CGC, RES, MF, Eels, Br. Catfish, Bowfin, snails, mussels, clams, crayfish, shad, gold shiners". The other concern to me is what other predators that are listed as "Regular visitors include River Otter, GBH, Anhinga, Osprey,.." and what influence that they could have on the fishery balance. The pond's fishery is likely complicated and not just one based simply on BG and LMB. I think one also has to consider the type and amount of habitat available that influences the balance of the fishery.
I am not saying that jpsdad in wrong in his thinking. It is just the fishery for J.E.Craig is not just a simple BG-LMB fishery that could be complicated by other factors working within the Florida 3 ac pond. Complexity could make the fishery balance not a simple one.
