Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Triploid or female only crappies would anyone be interested?

I know a grower that is experimenting with triploid and female only crappies. As crappies are a no no in small ponds, I wonder how many out there would be interested in putting crappies in their ponds that would not reproduce. I see lots of advantages for those that want crappies but not the downsides that would occur in a small pond.

How about triploid or one sex bluegills for a small pond owner that is primarily interested in just big bluegills?

Yes and Yes. I have cleints that want crappie and I talk them out of it, but not if they could be controlled by lack of repro. Of course getting them to GA could be pricey. I also have fly fish clients that love catching monster bluegill.

Gregg,

The producer is in Arkansas.

I would be extremely interested if they're black crappie. I'm still in the process of building my lake and need to establish a good forage base though. I read all the negatives about crappie, but there's no better tasting fish in my opinion. Plus, it's the females that have the weight. I see no downside here, I get population control, and another species to fish for.

I would be very interested

I see no harm in passing on who the biologist is doing the work in Arkansas, but I want to make it clear I am not advertising for him -- just thought some would be interested in this.

The biologist is Bobby Glennon of J.M. Malone and Sons who are the pioneers of the triploid grass carp. They are in Lonoke, Arkansas (501)676-2800.

Here is the response he left on the AquaNic site http://aquanic.org/ in the panfish category to an email I sent him:

"Cecil, I got your email but my computer is constipated and i can't reply. So I am trying to reply here. Your stocking denisty for the feed trained crappie sounds good. As far as the triploid research I have 15-20,000 "triploid?" hybrid crappie fry in the hatchery now and will stock them later in the week. I am also working on triploid black crappie and 100% female black crappie. I finally got the sex reversl hormones I needed and will be bringing in more brood crappie this weekend to begin the long road to creating sex reversed males to throw 100% female offspring. This week we scaled up our induced spawning protocols, and currently have 2 million diploid black crappie fry in the hatchery and 1 million largemouth bass fry. I will keep you posted on the research."

Bobby

Cecil, it's a small world. My dozer man's father is a distributor for Malone & Sons. I will not hesitate to be the guinea pig for the black crappie experiment ! Thank you for the lead !

Eastland,

Keep me posted on what's going on with them. If you want you can email me. Sometimes Bobby's hard to get a hold of as he gets busy.

Did anyone ever get any ? If so how did they work out?

The same grower is producing hybrid crappie, cross between black and white. This fish has theoretical potential to out-grow white or black crappie, and also has theoretical limited reproductive success in the long run, although they will reproduce well the first year or two, as I understand. We stocked some hybrids this spring for the first time and will have to wait for fishing reports. Anyone interested, I can get my hands on whatever that farm produces as well.

Oh, I forgot that the triploids will be 98% triploid at best, and probably won't be put to the same test as grass carp, which much be individually tested. Thus, the triploid still renders some percentage of fertile fish. It only takes a few to get the crappie ball rolling.

I would be even more interested in triploid black bass.

What might be better, stocking all female black bass. It might be in the future.

Overton :

Thank you , thank you !!!!!! I posted some time back on all female lmb idea as an option and you could hear the stunded silence from the lack of responces. While it has its mgt. problems { but less than some options} it is sure an option. Its time to address it seriously. ewest

Part of the "stunned silence" may have to do with the practical considerations surrounding this option. Here's an alternative view of this option, breaking the stunned silence.

Consider the following:

1) an existing pond with a LMB population would have to be sterilized in order to remove with 100% certainty all male LMB.
2) not many "amateures" can reliably discern the sex of the LMB, except in spring, it isn't easy for me to do so at all.
3) all it takes to undo this approach is one male LMB in the mix that you purchase from the fish supplier...what are the odds?
4) in addition, one well meaning neighbor or friend can also completely obviate this approach.
5) further, this approach, assuming one could overcome the above obstacles, has no assurance of overcoming the catchability problems that many of us associate with LMB. This approach would only address the overcrowding and stunting problems and then only if all the above are met.

Practical considerations, IMHO, make this an option only for experimentation by folks who are well versed in LMB...my opinion is that it is a far less likely alternative than HSB, to those who seek to overcome the problems that have been stated numerous times on the Forum with LMB in small ponds.

I think it could easily be done with two ponds. One pond has both sexes and the other is the one that receives the females.

Sexing the bass would have to be during spawning season and with a capillary tube. If no eggs appear in the capillary tube the bass does not get planted.

Cecil,

I think you just made my point also...two ponds, capillary tubes, etc.

ML :

I will respond in detail later maybe sat. at the meeting. Looking forward to seeing you and everyone. I will have a package of info on catchability and other issues for you as per our prior discussions but there is no magic answer in it.

My approach is that a good pond mgr. should know all his options {tools of trade} and use the proper ones at the proper time to reach the goal in question . My point was that female only LMB is an option even though it has problems and limitations as I noted. I think it has its place as do HSB which also have their problems and limitations. Each will work well in the right situation . I am not trying to convence anyone that one way is right or wrong or better because it all depends on the facts and circumstances of the situation. To my knowledge there is no good stock and forget method that provides a good healthy sustainable fish population . They all require substaintal mgt./work which often requires thinking out side the box. To ignore that a tool exists, however , is in my opinion not a correct approach. The above sentence is not directed to you as I know that you use a science/endg. approach to mgt. and that does not allow for disregarding options out of hand. Post some topics on the meeting site for us to think about. ewest

EWEST, Geez, can't even get a good discussion going.

Yes, looking forward to Saturday also. Possible conflict looming with construction of an attached grow-out/spawning pond (about 1/2 acre attached to the 3.5 acre pond to be used for forage growth and possibly spawning beds). Construction was supposed to be last weekend, then yesterday, now I'm not sure...we have finally gotten some rain which is holding up the works. I was hoping to bring some pictures of this little venture, complete with gravel beds, fish gates, etc, to the meeting on Saturday, but now may have to be building it on Saturday instead.

Hey Overtonfisheries

Please let me know how the hybrid crappie do and give me price information. I would like to have crappie in one of my ponds and maybe this is what I need.

I inquired about the crappie at the beginning of this thread, they didn't exist then, I doubt they do now.

Even "IF" you get a pond with all females, it won't last, don't kid yourself, a male will find it's way in, regardless.

The hatcheries need to come up with a bass similar to the HSB, put and take. I would like to see a sterile genetic cross between a Peacock & Florida strain LMB.

Eastland,

What a fabulous idea! Don't know if you were serious or not and I wonder if it is genetically possible. Simply fabulous idea! PB X LMB, now that's something to dream about!

Imagine what a predator that would be!

I also agree on the hybrid crappie...it has about as much chance as the "all female" LMB pond, no way you're going to stop 100% of the males, no way.