Possible Cichla Breeding Pond

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WJC05

Gambusia
MFK Member
Feb 26, 2007
468
2
18
Ashland, KY
Yes I know it may be a crazy idea but let me run something by you guys..

I want to dig out a pond to breed pbass in. First here is my plans..

I want to dig a pond in an exact rectangle shape. 20-30 feet across and somewhere around 60-80 foot long. It would be around 4.5 foot deep in the middle and when you get to the ends it will almost be like a boat ramp coming out of the water, another words it will slope from 4.5 feet all the way to the top on a long slop. The sides off the pond will be complete drop offs so I will be able to run a large seine right down the sides of the pond without anything getting away.

Now I want to stock fathead minnows in this pond year round constantly breeding and providing plenty of food for the pbass.

Here is the trick, Im in Kentucky. Ive checked over average temps for the area and looks like I could have the cichla in the pond from June through mid september. Im hoping in this time period the cichla will breed and I can extract all the cichla with a seine in mid september and move them to indoor ponds to raise.

Reason I posted here is I need thoughts and concerns and things that I might be forgetting that I need to address..

Thanks
 
Sounds like a Breeding LAKE :D
 
Sounds like a good idea.
Make sure you post up pics if you do it!!! :D
 
god I wish I owned my own property...

Good Luck!
 
Does anyone know if a pond of that size would take care of itself or if i would need to build some kind of huge filter for it? If no filter what about aeration?? Do you guys think that the fish would breed on their own or would I need to add some type of structure?

Nothing is for sure yet, just trying to figure out if it would be worth it and what the wife would think :)
 
I think you would want the water moving so that is doesn't become stangent. A waterfall would do the trick. My parents have two smaller koi ponds without filters and the fish have been fine for 3+ years. I even threw a few of my fish in one of them last summer.
 
what do you plan to do with the fish during the other colder months?
 
Yeah....cold months? I did the math and your pond will be 90,000 gals....thats big for pbass, but not in KY. i see that you moving the bass in and out of your ponds, but that will stress the fish.... i would breed them in a 2500 gal pond you have in the house (so you can control the temp) then move the fry to your 1100 pond (to control the temp)
 
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