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Jan 10th, 2023
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Joined: May 2010
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Lunker
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Lunker
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Would you mind giving me your options for forage fish?
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Joined: Jan 2009
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It depends on the dynamics of your pond... But if you are referring to your pond that has an over abundance of HBG and others, it may be tough to get any forage fish to take hold to include Gambusia.
Personally I like banded killifish though.
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Joined: May 2010
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Lunker
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Lunker
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Not familiar with Killifish, what makes them a good choice?
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Type banded killifish into Google Search engine and read up on them. Lots of good info on the net. If you still have questions, let me know and I will try to answer specifics.
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Joined: May 2010
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Lunker
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Lunker
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Well are they also hard on BG, CC, LMB, Crappie?
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Joined: Jan 2010
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Lunker
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Lunker
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I have had them in all my ponds and am adding more in those that don't have them. They outcompete native forage species, fragile endangered crap. To me they are a vital link in the lower end of the fry food chain. They really benefit recruitment of desirable species like LMB. That and FHM. Otherwise those bigger lmb go cannibal. BG are also great, I tend to stick to three easy to deal with species for forage. And inexpensive. Gams, Tuffies and bg. Where gams have a lsight advantage is they really can make it without too much forage cover. They live on the surface, on the edge. Plus that partners up well with other species that don't. Would not be much there anyway if they were not. They have never adversely affected any of my bg or fhm populations. Two tactical advantages I like, live bearing and plant and forget.
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Fingerling
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Fingerling
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I have an open lagoon as a sewer. Wonder if I could raise gams or fatheads in it and transfer them to my pond periodically?
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Joined: Jan 2010
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Lunker
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Lunker
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A sewer? Open water? I don't even want to know. I prefer not to raise and or net my baitfish in open sewers, just does not appeal to me.
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Joined: May 2010
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Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: May 2010
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I have had them in all my ponds and am adding more in those that don't have them. They outcompete native forage species, fragile endangered crap. To me they are a vital link in the lower end of the fry food chain. They really benefit recruitment of desirable species like LMB. That and FHM. Otherwise those bigger lmb go cannibal. BG are also great, I tend to stick to three easy to deal with species for forage. And inexpensive. Gams, Tuffies and bg. Where gams have a lsight advantage is they really can make it without too much forage cover. They live on the surface, on the edge. Plus that partners up well with other species that don't. Would not be much there anyway if they were not. They have never adversely affected any of my bg or fhm populations. Two tactical advantages I like, live bearing and plant and forget. PF, So what would you consider fragile native crap? I am still trying to consider why I would not use these in my pond, they seem like a wild minnow that the fish would enjoy. If I can not get FHM to take and my GSH may be gone as well, than maybe these will. I do however want to know what they are hard on in Oklahoma? Are they any OKIES that have experience with them?
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Joined: Jun 2005
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Lunker
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Lunker
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Well are they also hard on BG, CC, LMB, Crappie? If you're referring to gambusia, no. The above fish spawn in open areas at least a foot deep. Gams are afraid to go into open water, where they would be eaten instantly. Gams stay close to shore in very shallow water, or hide in weeds. If game fish hatchlings survive for 2 or 3 weeks, they are too large and fast for the gams to catch. Personally, I haven't found any downside to gams. I can see where they may be a problem in a koi pond. I can definitely see where they would be a problem if they got out in the wild in non-native areas. Don't assume you can contain them in a non-native area, you can't.
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Lunker
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Lunker
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That is what I am saying what are they bad on, harm, destroy, etc.?
Why would they be bad in a Koi Pond?
I am not sure if they are considered native or not, but I have dipped some up out of more than one BOW here.
If I run across some I may try to put them in.
I have seen where you can buy some, and I had thought about trying to raise a few, has anyone had success with them in an Aquarium?
Thanks
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Joined: Jun 2005
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Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Jun 2005
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That is what I am saying what are they bad on, harm, destroy, etc.?
Why would they be bad in a Koi Pond?
I am not sure if they are considered native or not, but I have dipped some up out of more than one BOW here.
If I run across some I may try to put them in.
I have seen where you can buy some, and I had thought about trying to raise a few, has anyone had success with them in an Aquarium?
Thanks
If they're native, no problem. Gams won't hurt adult koi, but in a small pond with lots of cover, they could possibly interfere with other small fishes breeding.
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent  Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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If there are gams in a pond, can they be caught in a regular minnnow trap? If so, what should be used for bait? A friend has a couple of ponds that have just Gams, GHM, GSH and a few RES in them. There are multiple schools of small Gams (10-15 fish per school), and some basketball sized schools of tiny minnows (1/4" - 3/8") visible near the shoreline.
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Lunker
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Lunker
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You know I have never tried that because they are so easy to catch in a pro baitfish net. But after some time, I have them breeding everywhere I don't even have to do that anymore. I imagine from most of the minnow traps I have seen the mesh would be a bit too big for many of them. Plus how high can you go without being out of the water becaue gams rarely venture deep or far out. Plus they are real surface feeders, with their upturned mouths that is what they are built for. I do have them pellet trained, and I do feed mine mosquito larvae for entertainment. I guess my short answer would be, a good net is better than a trap.
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They are easy to catch with a dip net because of their surface hugging tendencies. I catch them in minnow traps set like I normally would for catching FHM, etc... Same baits work, dog food, fish pellets, etc. I usually just use a dip net though but catch them incidental while trying to catch other species with the minnow trap.
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Joined: Jun 2005
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Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Jun 2005
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Agree they're very easy to catch in a dipnet. They are also very catchable in a trap. I caught hundreds in a cheap, sorta cylindrical Wal-Mart trap.
You have to mind the trap though. Unlike fatheads, they find their way out of the trap in an hour or 2.
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,840
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,840 |
I have had them in all my ponds and am adding more in those that don't have them. They outcompete native forage species, fragile endangered crap. To me they are a vital link in the lower end of the fry food chain. They really benefit recruitment of desirable species like LMB. That and FHM. Otherwise those bigger lmb go cannibal. BG are also great, I tend to stick to three easy to deal with species for forage. And inexpensive. Gams, Tuffies and bg. Where gams have a lsight advantage is they really can make it without too much forage cover. They live on the surface, on the edge. Plus that partners up well with other species that don't. Would not be much there anyway if they were not. They have never adversely affected any of my bg or fhm populations. Two tactical advantages I like, live bearing and plant and forget. So how many would you recommend adding to a 1/4 acre pond?
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 17
Fingerling
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Fingerling
Joined: Jan 2010
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It's not a sewer, it is a lagoon. It is a holding pond that catches the water after it has gone through the septic system. All kinds of frogs and other aquatics thrive in it.
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Nutria
by J. E. Craig - 12/03/24 04:10 PM
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Koi
by PAfarmPondPGH69, October 22
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