Fish fear - 10/21/09 08:51 AM
I have a small pond that I have stocked with tilapia, 1100 plus 2 pregnant, 5 and 8 pound, females, with the plan of establishing a forage base for Peacock Bass. My plan was to have a self sustaining fishery.
I have an even smaller pond and the tilapia have thrived beyond every expectation, it has predators. That lead to the self sustaining idea.
The larger pond has yet to produce tilapia in numbers sufficient to support even one bass.
The two ponds are 100 feet apart in a similar position to the watershed. I feed in the small pond, not the larger. Lots of algae in the small, not the large. Lots of weeds in the large, not the small.
I have only one explanation, but was hoping for some thoughts, birds. The smaller pond is in front of my house where I occasionally have shortened the life span of a few unfortunate heron, bigger pond has no bird predators. But the birds are two species of heron, one kingfisher and little cormorants.
I have an even smaller pond and the tilapia have thrived beyond every expectation, it has predators. That lead to the self sustaining idea.
The larger pond has yet to produce tilapia in numbers sufficient to support even one bass.
The two ponds are 100 feet apart in a similar position to the watershed. I feed in the small pond, not the larger. Lots of algae in the small, not the large. Lots of weeds in the large, not the small.
I have only one explanation, but was hoping for some thoughts, birds. The smaller pond is in front of my house where I occasionally have shortened the life span of a few unfortunate heron, bigger pond has no bird predators. But the birds are two species of heron, one kingfisher and little cormorants.