Pond Boss Forums INTRO New Forum Member Introduction Hello from California's Central Coast

Greetings all

I have recently bought a house with a 1/4 acre pond in the Santa Cruz Mountains in Aptos. The elevation is 600 feet or so. Pond is about 6 feet deep.

In it currently are a massive amount of bullfrogs, mosquitofish, and a couple dozen or so western pond turtles. This year had a pretty significant duckweed growth that completely covered the pond.

I have young kids and I'm looking to stock it with at least panfish, and probably bass and catfish. I would like to create a self sustaining ecosystem. In the past there was such an ecosystem with bass in the pond.

Any recommendations on fish (how many what mix), or where is the best place to source fish from in Northern/ Central California is greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

Welcome Jack. Lots of us would like the idea of self sustaining but it seldom happens. Lusk sez a pond is like a garden. It has to be managed, culled, etc.

You might consider channel cats. They try to spawn but are seldom successful. Also some hybrid bluegills to take out some of the mosquito fish. Bass seldom work out in less than acre.

I would hesitate to go further until I clobbered the duckweed.