Stocking fish into preexisting fish communities is not always successful. Although there may be many reasons why stockings fail, predation is perhaps the most likely reason. Reducing predation by allowing fish to become accustomed to their new environment before release (i.e.,habituation) may improve stocking efficiency. We evaluated the effect of habituation on predation of stocked, hatchery-reared fingerling Florida largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides floridanus (30�64 mm total length) in simple (i.e., open-water) and structurally complex (i.e., with vegetation and cobble) habitats in indoor tanks.We found that fingerling largemouth bass survival significantly increased (P , 0.004) from 26% to 46% when fish were habituated in a predator-free enclosure for at least 15 min. Surviving fish spent most (95%) of their time in the structurally complex habitat.
This concept applies to most small fish including BG , WE , YP , CC etc..
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