95 replies to this topic

[az9]

If pond forage is of high quality and quantity, then they may drift away from feeding station.  Swim with them and see if you can find them.  Generally, the abundance of very good eats is short-lived so fish will some back to feeding station if you keep putting out a little on same schedule.

 

 

With Bluegill as few years back I watched how Hexagenia hatches pulled even large Bluegill away from feeding area.  The Bluegill maintained feeding territories during those events and most had hugely distended abdomens.

 

As always your posts make a lot of sense. Have seen them feeding on midges popping out of the water and did see a huge school of them that responded positively to some sinking feed. 

[az9]

In the process of moving 10 bullfrogs from the pond to another pond. I suspect they are ambushing the fry as they swim by. I had one bullfrog laying on the bottom with is arms outstretched in ambush mode! Amazing how adaptable animals can be regarding food sources! 

 

And yes bullfrogs will eat fish or anything else they can fit into their mouths. I've seen then cannibalize other smaller frogs. 

[keepnatives]

I've seen them attack small birds.

[centrarchid]

I have had bullfrogs catch crayfish and small fish in shallow water and pellets in the middle of the pond.  I do not think they can catch typical fish without trapping them against bottom in shallow water.  Their hands are not good at pushing fish in mouth by themselves.

[az9]

I have had bullfrogs catch crayfish and small fish in shallow water and pellets in the middle of the pond.  I do not think they can catch typical fish without trapping them against bottom in shallow water.  Their hands are not good at pushing fish in mouth by themselves.

 

Good to know. Still going to relocate the bullfrogs to play it safe. 

 

Iam finding trout are different than my other species in a couple of ways. One is when released into a circular tank, when they were in the 3 inch range, some went to the bottom and some stayed near the top. All other species I have done this with evenly spaced themselves in the tank. 

 

Also in the pond they don't seem to gather in any particular area waiting for feed like my other species. At least at the size they are now which is 4 to 5 inches.  I'm hoping they will as they get larger, and I start feeding them floating feed only. I'm wasting a lot of feed by scattering it all over the pond to make sure none miss it. It's mostly sinking at this stage. 

 

Next time I put small trout to the pond I will put then in a floating raceway until they are 8 to 9 inches. Less likely to fin nip if swimming against moving water vs. just a cage. 

[centrarchid]

If stocking density close to "natural" in a pond setting. they may stake out territories and adopt parr marks.   Such fish will be inclined to fight.  Territories are strongly associated with bottom.  It is easy to see similar in natural populations of Rainbow Trout and Brook Trout where I have snorkeled.

[az9]

Actually they have had parr marks from the beginning. Can't tell you if they are becoming territorial but I do know they seem to move around the pond a lot. I did see one today that has developed guaine deposits as in an overall silvery coloration. No more parr marks. 

[az9]

Heres a 5 1/2 inch brook trout I found dead on the bottom. Not worried as after rearing thousands of fish one dead fish means nothing. Anyway, gave me a chance to gauge growth. The fish was hatched in December, so 5 1/2 inches is quite good for the end of April. I saw one fish swimming that may be closer to 6 inches. Appears to be a brown trout. 

 

[centrarchid]

Head looks small for Brook Trout.  Pellet feeding causing phenotypic changes?

[az9]

Head looks small for Brook Trout.  Pellet feeding causing phenotypic changes?

 

 

A small head is typical for fast growing fish especially salmonids. The fins and heads aren't able to keep up with the rest of the body. I would have thought you knew that? 

 

Reared some feed trained largemouths in the past that taxidermists didn't want because of the small heads and fins. However once they got to 5 pounds growth slowed down and they looked more like typical wild fish. 

[centrarchid]

I do know that.  Problem you will have is that as adults, they will not recover the proper confirmation of a wild fish desired for mounts.  I had similar problem working with largemouth bass for my dissertation.  The phenotypic shift not as extreme compared to salmonids and they recovered as you noted.  Brookies may not be your friends on that account.

[az9]

Not a problem with the trout especially brook trout. Seems the bigger the better for brook trout. A male brook trout's head naturally lengthens during spawning season too. 

 

[az9]

First of all trout are feeding well twice a day now. Up to the next to the largest size pellet. Took the fly rod to the pond and caught four brook trout and two tigers to see how they look and their sizes. Was flabbergasted that a brook trout and a tiger trout were both 9 inches! Others were about 8 inches with one brook trout at 7 inches. That's 1.5 inches of growth per month for the 9 inch fish as they were hatched 6 months ago. At that rate keeps up the 9 inch fish will be 15 inches by October! Of course the most aggressive bigger fish were probably the easiest caught so it's hard to say how many fish are under 9 inches. 

 

That said, a trout producer has warmed me if I'm feeding them more than they need they could develop fatty livers and be prone to  easy death. He says the growth is impressive but not to push them too hard. I do know fast growing fish have shorter lifespans too. The brook trout in the above picture may have had fatty livers. 

 

See pics in the next thread. All fish were released back into the pond. 

[az9]

Pictures:

 

 

 

[az9]

The trout are now running in the 10 to 12 inch range. I'm sure I don't have as many as I started out with, but I sure see a lot at feeding time twice a day. I haven't seen any ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate readings yet.  I installed my Kasco surface aerator to run at night to play it safe as I was told by a very knowledgeable trout hatchery manager that oxygen will be my first limiting factor vs. the nitrogen. I have significant Chara growth and some filamentous algae on one end of the pond which I am sure works on ammonia etc. along with the surface area for bacteria it provides. 

 

The plan is once things cool off in October with consistent temps in the mid 60's or less to move a significant number of them to a much larger pond.  However they will have to be harvested sometime the next May before the water gets too warm as that pond is not fed by well water. If I can get the to 18 inches by then I can freeze them up and sell them via my taxidermiy niche market. Don't have to sell them all at once as I shrink wrap the fish.  

[az9]

The astaxanthin is starting to color either the browns, tigers, or both up. I can see some yellow now at feeding time vs. just a silvery color. 

 

I'll see if I can take some pictures.