After reading this I guess it is safe to say it all depends. What is amazing is that real quick 2 of the forum members quickly identified the correct possible outcomes and the logic behind both possible right answers. Good thinking guys.
Reservoir Ranching of Paddlefish
RICHARD J. ONDERS AND STEVEN D. MIMS
Aquaculture Research Center, Kentucky State University,
CHANGZHENG WANG
Community Research Service, Kentucky State University,
WILLIAM D. PEARSON
Biology Department, University of Louisville,
"Filter-feeding fish are able to cause dramatic changes in planktonic communities and nutrient cycling because of the potential for filtering great volumes of water (Drenner et al. 1982). Intense predation on zooplankton can result in either sharp declines in the biomass of large zooplankton or shifts in the community structure toward dominance by smaller species that are not efficient grazers of phytoplankton (Hrba�cek et al. 1961; Brooks and Dodson 1965). The result can thus be increased phytoplankton biomass (Andersson et al. 1978; Lynch and Shapiro 1981). Burke and Bayne (1986) found that paddlefish stocked at 990/ha in polyculture with channel catfish and blue catfish Ictalurus furcatus depressed zooplankton densities, with a concurrent increase in the standing crop of phytoplankton and a decrease in nutrient availability. Although their paddlefish stocking rate was excessive, their study illustrates the potential impact of paddlefish grazing on an aquatic community. However, we observed no such effects attributable to paddlefish grazing."
This study used 10/ha PF but they were small 1/2 lbs at stocking to 7-15lbs. at the end (not 20lb stockers) and the surviving # was much lower at 3.8/ha .
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