Inheriting unstocked massive pond. What to stock?

[spotfin]

Again, I would be more concerned about putting non-natives in stream-fed ponds. That is not a closed system pond.

X 2

What species live in the stream now? You're best to keep just them.

 

[I31]

But if my native options are channel catfish, channel catfish, or a channel catfish, then forget it. I'm getting something worth coming home to.

Sounds like you want fish to come up during feeding time? Koi and Sturgeon. Just fortify the narrow outlet. You mentioned grate but with experiences of others, Muskies and Pike are able to escape. So how bout netting and quarantine area where if the fish were to bypass 1st barrier, they would be trapped in 2nd cell area?

 

[MN_Rebel]

Sounds like you want fish to come up during feeding time? Koi and Sturgeon. Just fortify the narrow outlet. You mentioned grate but with experiences of others, Muskies and Pike are able to escape. So how bout netting and quarantine area where if the fish were to bypass 1st barrier, they would be trapped in 2nd cell area?

And it's still not a closed system. There was beaver dams, man-made dams and culverts in the creek from the fish hatchery to the lake. Also I think you forget the non-native diseases or worse....the pond fish spawned and have fry.

 

[Cod]

skip bullheads and green sunfish for sure, gl

 

[I31]

.....so it is very risky to stocking non-native species in a stream-fed pond but the decision is up to you as long as you are take responsibility for let non-native species escaped or introduced exotic pathogens to the area.

like he said, "decison is up to you.."

 

[MN_Rebel]

like he said, "decison is up to you.."

And I'm hoping that he will take ALL of the responsibility for let the non-native species escaped then he will have to live with his decision for the rest of his life and should be ashamed for his actions. The last thing the aquarium hobby needs is more restrictions on fish-keeping and making other species illegal to own.

 

[warmouth]

And I'm hoping that he will take ALL of the responsibility for let the non-native species escaped then he will have to live with his decision for the rest of his life and should be ashamed for his actions. The last thing the aquarium hobby needs is more restrictions on fish-keeping and making other species illegal to own.

im sorry Im coming late to the party here....where is Knifegills pond at, this would help in choosing native fish that would be good inhabitants of the pond (if he lives in a area in the Midwest or South this will be a lot easier).

 

[knifegill]

There will be no non-native fish escaping from this pond.

It took a year for all the goldfish to get plucked off by birds of prey, and thank god they are gone, but I fear the worst. The previous owner was a fool and put goldfish in there. What a yahoo.

Anyway, as far as I can tell, there are now no fish there at all. There are amphibians and crayfish, and lots of water weeds!

Hopefully I can inherit a monster channel cat locally and that will be that. I have a 300g tub to de-worm and quarantine, and hopefully train to eat from my hand, but I'm not doing anything at the moment. Got a 4-month-old, working myself sick, just getting by.

This thread is more for ideas, so feel free to toss me ideas!

I'm not a fool, I'm not going to put an invasive turd in there. Give me some credit.

 

[MN_Rebel]

Then perhaps you can tell us what species that is native to the streams or the nearby lakes that the stream feds into?

 

[knifegill]

Nothing, I am at a headwater. My pond fills when it rains, streams from the hills.

The bog down from me has sticklebacks and has been stocked with LMB.