Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Newbie, Looking for help (alternate scud thread)

Mr. Cody is back,

Bruce your link is just information about scuds in general. Some species could likely have more specific habitat requirements.

I doubt that the Gammarus sp? from Prairie Land Management (PLM) will be a significiant source of fish parasites because I ASSUME they raise them in fishless habitats thus the life cycle of the parasite is not able to go full cycle in their rearing ponds.

1. Someone should ask PLM if there are fish in their scud ponds. I doubt it, since they have so many scuds. You don't want fish eating the profits.

2. Have we established a specie name for PLM's scuds yet??. I can put a specific name on these guys, if I can get one or two preserved mature individuals to examine. Once we get a specie name we can do some informational searches.


3. Has anyone asked PLM about what species of rooted vegetation are comon to abundant in their scud ponds?


4. In regards to salinity and conflicting statements. I think PLM is referring to significant amounts of salt that are probabaly mesured in parts per thousand and not parts per million. Rarely are our normal freshwater ponds salty enough to measure salts in ppt. Normal hardness should not be a problem with their scuds. In fact harder water due to calcium carbonates may favor them due to calcium needs for carapace (shell) production.

5. Scud release. When I released scuds (Gammarus lacustris) that I bought previously, I used my net dipping, rinse proceedure. I never put anyone else's pondwater into my pond unless I know what is microscopicaly in the water and I have examined it and give it my stamp of approval.

Dip-Rinse Method. I first get a bucket or two of my pond water. A friend with an appropriate sized net. uses three buckets of pond water. I net a few or all the fish or organisms, set the net with organisms in the first bucket, lift and drain. Then repeat the proceedure in the second bucket of my pond water. Lift and allow to drain slightly then relese the organisms into my pond. If there are water temp differences then adjust the delivery water to proper temperature then use the dip-rinse method. I keep a lot of nuisance "stuff" out of my pond by using this method. I advise all local pondowners who use the pond water as household water to sue thjsi method when buying fish. Their ponds usually stay relatively problem free.