Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Raising Forage and Bait Managing FHM's

Not sure what I did that deserves thanks but you're welcome all the same. I was hoping you would ask more questions. You have a such a great advantage with a forage pond to grow a diverse assemblage of minnow species that can meaningfully contribute to your ponds forage.

Every pond is different, habitat, fertility, feed rates, species complex, and population structures. The absence of LMB in the pond referenced above probably is why the minnows in it can attain such large numbers each year from a paltry overwintering population. But that they can do it in a pond that is full of BG ... is remarkable to me.

FHM have a big disadvantage in reproduction. The males must guard a nest and this makes them very vulnerable to predators. The females of course need a nest guarding male to successfully reproduce. I don't think FHM could make as good a living the CC-BG pond above described. The fish you see above is Gambusia Affinis, a native of your Mississipi bound watershed location in Jefferson County. Most of fish you see in the pics are pregnant females. Of the population of fish >1" length ... most of them are pregnant females. They carry the sperm of an earlier mating that can be used to spawn multiple clutches of eggs on a monthly basis. Inside each are 100 to 300 developing embryos that are protected by predators and fungus by their moms. There is a sufficient number of Moms in each photo to produce more than 20,000 fry. So the weeds make a difference I think but this reproductive strategy make the GAM a viable producer of forage.

Consider GSH which is also a native in your watershed. In addition to this members have had success with members of the satinfin shiner family. Your particular location favors Red Shiner and it is also a native to your watershed. Had your water drained into the Ozark Plateau, the appropriate satinfin would have been the Spotfin Shiner ... a native there. It maybe possible to diversify your minnows to include some that do not have nest guarding behaviors. These will be most resistant to extirpation because they will successfully reproduce while the predators are eating them.