Forums36
Topics41,399
Posts563,134
Members18,771
|
Most Online3,612 Jan 10th, 2023
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 7,100 Likes: 24
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
|
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 7,100 Likes: 24 |
Yesterday, I put a pound of fatheads in a small sediment catch-pond (about 20 x 25, and about 5-6 foot deep). It is one of my "Mongo" ponds used to catch debris before the water flows into my main pond. This is mostly just inexpensive entertainment ($10 for 1 lb. of fatheads) to see if they will prosper. I'd also kind of like to have some for bait. If the fatheads reproduce, I plan to move some to all the other small water holes I have dug, and I plan to use some in my aquaponics tanks. I've got a bunch of damaged/scrap 4-inch corrugated drain pipe. If I were to cut this in small lengths and weight it so it sinks, would this work for fathead spawning?? What would be a good length? Many different kinds of frogs and other amphibians seem to thrive and grow fat in these small ponds without my intervention. Do I need to feed the fatheads? Thanks, Ken Why not hang longer sections on rope to semi-float....FH would like that better I would imagine.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,105
Member
|
Member
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,105 |
This model with three slots of 3/4", 1" and 1 1/4" doesn't seem to be working. The minnows won't go inside but rather swim over the top. So next I will next try 3 1/2" slots using 2x4's. If this size entices fathead minnows to swim inside, the finished stacked unit would be about 2' wide x 10' long and stacked several compartments high. My question is, if fathead minnow are territorial would a lot of the undersurface not be used for egg deposits because the fatheads need to have some separation from each other? If this is true I don't want to waist my time building something that won't work well.
Last edited by John Monroe; 03/11/12 03:43 AM.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,226 Likes: 320
Moderator Lunker
|
Moderator Lunker
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,226 Likes: 320 |
John, that sure seems that it should work. I wonder what hatcheries use?
It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.
Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,924 Likes: 973
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
|
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,924 Likes: 973 |
IIRC each FHM stakes out an area about 18"-24" square if they can see their neighbors.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,105
Member
|
Member
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,105 |
Esshup would the 18" to 24" fish egg areas butt up next to each other or is there a waisted spacing between the 18" to 24" area? If you think there might be then I will just make 18" square surfaces and stack them with probably 4" spacers. This is what I have in mind. I have some alum. siding that's been setting in the pole barn for years. Dave I should make a model based on the picture and observe it with different size spacings like I am doing on the present model before building a lot of them.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,924 Likes: 973
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
|
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,924 Likes: 973 |
I think they'd be able to butt up against one another. I wouldn't make the condos very tall, not more than a couple of feet.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 149
|
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 149 |
I have two black plastic skids that I thought about cutting some 1/2 pvc and putting about 20 6" pieces vertical between the two skids and then put rocks on top to sink the skids in about 4' of water. and maybe put legs under them so they dont sink in the mud too. Any thoughts on this???
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,924 Likes: 973
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
|
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,924 Likes: 973 |
If for FHM spawning, I think 4' would be too deep. But, for other cover, I think it'd be perfect.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 20
|
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 20 |
catmando - I found 150 ft. of damaged 4" flex at an auction four years ago. I bought it all for $15. I have used it to build bunny rabbit "safe zones" in our woods. An 18" piece will keep the coyotes away from the young rabbits. Our rabbit population seems to have improved a lot. But now I can't keep them out of the veggy gardens.
I cut seventy 12" to 18" pieces for shelter/habitat in my lake. It seems to work GREAT but I always have a terrible time finding enough weights to secure my artificial habitat to the bottom of the lake. I prefer to use broken fiberglass 3/8" rods from our portable electric fences to stake the sections of flex to the bottom of the lake but sometimes they let go in heavy storms. Otherwise I use weedeater line and a brick.
Thanks, LCH
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,458 Likes: 2
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
|
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,458 Likes: 2 |
I have come to realize FHM will spawn on just about anything. Having put rosey reds into the pond and with their visibility, it makes it much easier to observe them. It cracks me up the places they choose as spawning sites. Of course they are using provided spawning sites, but they are also utilizing things I never thought they would!
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,924 Likes: 973
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
|
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,924 Likes: 973 |
CJ, could you list the things? I'm trying to figure out what to put in a 1/10 ac forage pond, but yet have it easily removable to seine. The sides are 2:1, and the water is 6' below the grass/soil level, so that makes it difficult to put heavy objects in the pond.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,458 Likes: 2
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
|
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,458 Likes: 2 |
I have two pallets, which seem to have 4 FHM spawning per pallet. They are not sunk to the bottom, just floating. Several FHM are spawning on the sides of stumps of willows trees that were cut down and treated to kill them back. Of course any rocky area for rip rap has multiple FHM using the rocks to spawn under. I have placed a number of CD's stacked on top of each other using washers to leave a space as spawning structures for my spotfin/satinfin shiners to spawn on. However, the FHM have been using the bottom of each stack to spawn under. There is also a red solo cup that somehow found its way into the pond half buried in the sediment. An FHM is spawning on the inside of the cup. That maybe the cheapest, easiest spawning structure out there Scott. You could just sink several cups with a small stone and scatter them around the perimeter of the pond. When you want to seine, just pick the cups back up... Since they're bright red they'd be easy to find.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,924 Likes: 973
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
|
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,924 Likes: 973 |
Right now there are maybe 4 pallets floating around in there, and another 4 pieces of 18" sq. closed cell foam 2" thick.
There are (or were) papershells in there too, but none have been seen lately since 2 painted turtles and one large snapper were seen in the pond. No rip-rap in the pond.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,458 Likes: 2
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
|
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,458 Likes: 2 |
I have heard the painted turtles in particular are nasty on the crayfish population. I've considered adding softshell crayfish to the pond, but with several painted turtles and at least 2 snappers I think it would be a waste.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,924 Likes: 973
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
|
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,924 Likes: 973 |
CJ, the plan is to place a number of 12" pieces of cut off 2" dia PVC in the pond, tied together with a rope like a ladder - to make them easy to remove for seining. Hopefully that will give them some place to hide that turtles can't get into. Without cover to hide in, and the varying water levels, this forage pond hasn't been very productive for fish or crayfish so far........
It's close to the forest, so the leaves falling into the pond in the fall make for hard seining too. Just have to seine before they start to drop!
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 888
Lunker
|
Lunker
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 888 |
CJB, I didn't know painted turtles liked crayfish. Do you think they could catch the ones that leave the little volcanos around the pond and the ditch?
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,458 Likes: 2
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
|
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,458 Likes: 2 |
I suspect the tunneling species would be less vulnerable to predation, but would be preyed upon at times.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 2,058 Likes: 7
|
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 2,058 Likes: 7 |
I am just building my pond right now and have a bunch of 4" and 6" clay tile. I am thinking of placing many of these all around the edge of the pond in different depths for our FHMinows to populate on and hide in.
Rain I need rain to fill up my pond. Hoo hum.
Cheers Don.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,924 Likes: 973
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
|
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,924 Likes: 973 |
Shoot some good grade marks and put the tiles in water less than 24" deep, less than 12" is better. They'll love you for them.
|
|
|
Moderated by Bill Cody, Bruce Condello, catmandoo, Chris Steelman, Dave Davidson1, esshup, ewest, FireIsHot, Omaha, Sunil, teehjaeh57
|
Nutria
by J. E. Craig - 12/03/24 04:10 PM
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Koi
by PAfarmPondPGH69, October 22
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|