Stocking a 250 gallon coldwater.

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Cool, Ive always heard they were extremly hard to convert to dead food. I like yellow perch but have no where to buy them. I like bowfin as well but wouldnt they out grow the pond.
 
Grass pickerel do jump.But they would be fine through summer and winter.
 
Cool, I may see about doing a pair of them. Ive got a predator net that I can toss over the pond. I really want to feed either mealworms, shrimp, or pellets though, they typcally only take live. Would a bowfin work? What size are they in captivity.
 
24-30" is typical adult bowfin size. There's a possibility it could get bigger, but 250 gallons should still be plenty. They are lurkers and don't need a great deal of swimming room, so as long as you have adequate filtration, you're set.
 
Thanks, the bottom portion of the pond is like 3x2 and the top portion 4x6 so he should have plenty of room. I read somewhere 42 inch buts I guess that is a wild record. Do you know a typical price? Also do they adjust to pellets. The water should vever et below 20 or above 85ish. And even those extremes would only last a few days.
 
The temps should be fine. I don't know about feeding pellets, but it seems likely you could train them to eat pellets with some patience.

Bowfin aren't regularly sold anywhere that I know of. They pop up here and there. It's spawning season for them right now and so it's likely that juveniles will show up for sale soon. I suggest you avoid these young-of-year fish, as they have high mortality, and hold out for a fish at least 4" long.
 
Ok thanks, I need to go have my water tested at the lfs, so ill talk to the guy there. I just moved in a single comet to help the cycling process. Do you know how sensitive they are to water quality. I have never used prime, but it they are super sensitive to water qality ill use pond prime. If the lfs cant get them, Ill see if any local people catch them and ill keep checking the classifieds. I saw them from 15-90 bucks.
 
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