Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Help Good Fish Company for stocking in Eastern PA

I have a one acre pond in Eastern PA - Monroe County - just outside East Stroudsburg. Can anyone recommend someone to buy fish from and I need someone who knows what they are doing. Mine is an existing pond being supplied by a natural spring. I have bass, bluegill, salamanders and red ear sliders living in my pond. From what I can tell. I would like to add fish that will help add to my pond health. I was thinking Channel Catfish and carp. Anything else? I would like to do a little fishing - but probably won't do a lot of fishing. But I also want to swim in the pond. It's about 8 feet deep in the middle. Thanks for any referrals and advice!

I don't have any recommendations for a local fish supplier, but regarding the comment about 'pond health,' I'm not sure that Channel Catfish or carp will add any real 'health' to your pond. Channel Cats add a nice variety of 'catchable' and visibile fish; they mostly eat other living fish, and are not any kind of 'clean-up' fish. Carp will generally be bad for your pond as they may easily overpopulation and then keep sediment churned up in the pond. Now, Grass Carp can be useful if you have certain vegetation problems.

In 17th century England, Isaak Walton called the Common Carp "The Queen of the Rivers".

Keep Carp in 17th Century England, not your pond.

I was talking about grass carp for eating vegetation - and since they are sterile I won't have a overpopulation problem. Maybe I will skip the catfish since they won't help clean the pond.

Consider this eastern PA fish farm. Pretty knowledgeable and good quality fish. Remember all farms are in the business to sell you something and not necessarily to match your pond goals. Learn here what your options are and decide on your goals then buy fish to match your long term goals for the pond and not what the fish farm thinks you need. Consider yellow perch and smallmouth bass for a swimming pond. Avoid BG with smallies. BG belong with LMbass. BG can tend to nip swimmers.
Schultz Fish Hatchery 1756 Hamlin Hwy, Lake Ariel PA 18436. Phone:570-226-7494. Has premium YP and SMB. Stock your FHMinnows first. Later others.

Zetts Fish in PA pushes a lot of things you don't necessarily need.

If as you mention "Mine is an existing pond being supplied by a natural spring. I have bass, bluegill, salamanders and red ear sliders living in my pond", then forget the yellow perch and smallmouth bass. Those two fish do not coexist well with bluegill and bass despite what the fish farm says to sell you more fish; the YP-SMB will live but not thrive with LMB-BG. Lots of examples here on this forum prove this. LMB do not play well with and bully SMB. YP do not thrive very long with LMB unless there are lots of weedy habitat present. IMO just manage your current bass and BG to produce the type of fishery balance that match your goals. We can help you with how to manage the fish numbers so it comes close to your goals for the fishery. Just ask the appropriate questions.

Common grass carp will reproduce!

You must stock only triploid carp.

If you don't have a weed problem in the pond now, don't stock the triploid grass carp. Just like putting a band-aid on your arm before you get cut. You may need it, you may not need it.