Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Creating the food chain February Fry?

I was down at my pond today. I observed numerous fry one-half to two inches long in the shallows. Water lever was way up so I could not net any. Pond has LMB, CNBG and Tilapia. On other threads I have noted that my Tilapia are still alive. Would this be Tilapia? It's too early for everything else, right? Water temps in mid-50s.

I bet that it is fish from a late spawn last year.

I'm pretty sure the FH in Mr. H's pond have already spawned. I've also seen fry in his other pond which is only stocked with BG, WC, LMB, and WM.

Ryan, I don't think fry would stay small that long in the south. From what I've seen the fish can feed all year here.

I also expect it is from last year.

Dave
When would you expect to see this year's appear? I think GAMs may have had a spawn??? Quite a bit south of you.

Recently I've been working on the assumption that the FH I stocked in Mr H's pond spawned a few weeks ago. Do you all also believe these are from last fall? I originally thought that was the case, but there are small FH that I know are from last fall's spawn that are many times larger than the smallest group. I occasionally checked the water temps through the winter and I don't recall it going below 50 degrees, but I can't say for sure. I've seen FH spawning behavior for the past 2 or 3 weeks if that makes a difference.

I estimate that I'm about 50 miles further south than BillB.

GW FH are fractional spawners and can spawn for mths if photoperiod and temps are ok. You probably have them of all ages from last year to now. BG have multiple spawns in your location so same result they could be all different sizes . Those fish look to big for 2-3 week old FH as best I can tell from the pic . At 2 weeks post hatch they would look like specks in the water. In addition fish spawn more and grow quicker into an empty envior. ( new or empty pond) as that is a survival of the species trait. That is why it is so important to stock correctly so that your first fish can spawn and grow to create a base to work from.


Sea Grant Tip Sheet Series
AS-507

Fathead minnow
(Pimephales promelas)

Common name: Fathead minnow

Scientific name: Pimephales promelas

Production potential: Easy

Marketing potential: Potential: High
Size: 1-3 inches
Market: Bait

Temperature Requirements: Growing: 70oF
Spawning: 65oF
Lethal: NA
Feed requirements: Protein: 30-38%
Fat: 3-8%
Spawning requirements: Spawns during cool periods in summer and sometimes fall, eggs hatch in 5-6 days. Females lay from 200-500 eggs per spawn, spawn repeatedly during spawning season.Two methods are used to produce fry. The first is the wild or free-spawning method which 500-2,000 broodstock are stocked into ponds. Egg hatching and growing of young to marketable size occur in the same pond. The second methodb is the fry transfer method. In this method, 20,000-25,000 broodstock are stocked into ponds in a ratio of five females per male. Fry produced in either method are trapped and counted then transferred to rearing ponds. In either method, rocks, tile, bricks, or boards are placed into ponds to provide spawning sites.
Most common
production systems:
Ponds. Fry are stocked at a rate of 50,000-300,000 per acre.

Thanks ewest. That makes me happy because I can look forward to more spawning soon!

GW they should be spawning now and until it gets to hot - then again when it cools some.

So what I am seeing are probably the result of late spawning in the fall? I am a lawyer so you have to speak slowly.

Al, I've never messed with Gams so just don't know. South Texas has had a pretty warm winter so they could have spawned. However, I get suspicous about sunfish having enough continually warm days to get off a hatch with survival. Heck, it's still February.

Al, I've never messed with Gams so just don't know. South Texas has had a pretty warm winter so they could have spawned. However, I get suspicous about sunfish having enough continually warm days to get off a hatch with survival. Heck, it's still February.

BillB. I PERSONALLY think that they are some of a late spawn from last fall. Where is the pond in East Texas? Hey, I'm already the slowest typer here. You may have to read real slow to keep up with some of these guys.

The pond is in North East Texas about 30 miles south of Sulphur Springs, Texas. Actually its 12 miles south of Winnsboro, 17 miles east of Quitman and 16 miles west of Gilmer. Nearest town is Ronesboro, home of the annual Possom Festival. Does that help?

Seriously its about as far south as Dallas. Just two hour east.

Bill, sometimes during a spell of warmer weather, sunfish will move to the shore but they always retreat when the next cold spell hits. We just don't get enough continous warm weather to increase the water temps until sometime in March or even April. That's why I say that they are last Falls fry that have survived until now. However, as the weather warms, they will turn into breakfast for their older siblings. That's a good thing.