Hooksetter says: "It is possible that the fish could be stunted because they are from a very small pond that suffered severe drought over the past couple years. The pond does have some bass in it and they all look pretty chunky because they don't have much competition."
Panfish are stunted not because of pond size or drought. It is because they are not getting enough food. When fish do not get enough food it usually means they are too crowded for the productivity (food production) of the pond they are living in. Most common solutions are reduce the fish numbers or feed the fish or some combination of both. The best ecological solution is reduce the fish numbers. Feeding the fish stresses the ecological balance of the pond and fish kills are more likely with this problem of too many fish.
I am looking forward to seeing additional photos of your smaller panfish.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 08/30/07 11:07 AM.
