Pumpkinseed Source?

I'd say go for it if you have the means to do so, I think there would be some on here and possibly if you tried selling them on aquabid.com I think you could sell some. You likely would be the only person selling that species because I have no plans to try to raise them simply because I don't like to deal with all the testing required I know it may be simpler than I think but I rather just not bother with it and there are plenty of species I can work with that don't require it. You may even be able to sell a few yellow perch and bluegill as well if you have them certified VHS free. I won't be having those species either for the same reason and there does not seem to be anyone else speciaizing in selling sunfish as aquarium fish other than myself.

I believe Bass Pro Shops paid $10,000 once for a really large largemouth?

Dang! $10 Grand. I need to start my own hatchery. haha,just kidding. One bass is enough energy for me.
Great pics too az9

Forgive me but what is VHS?

Forgive me but what is VHS?

Viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS). You should be able to google "Viral hemorrhagic septicemia" and dig up lots of info.

I am familiar with the over the top prices offered for largemouth bass and catfish for such displays but had no idea bluegill could go for so much. The bluegill I raise to larger sizes are in fact pure (as within the presently recognized species, some pure northern) but the market price you indicate seems too high to support any volume. The market I am targeting is for foodfish with conformation of animals (finnage) not always conserved. Could be though.

I am curious have you contacted Indiana DNR about buying your broodstock? They have several farms around Indiana and one of them may raise Pumpkinseeds. There are a few private fish farms that may also breed and sell fish.

Bill F.

This guy has some in the one inch variety

http://www.delmarvaaquatics.com/

I am curious have you contacted Indiana DNR about buying your broodstock? They have several farms around Indiana and one of them may raise Pumpkinseeds. There are a few private fish farms that may also breed and sell fish.

Bill F.

I contacted Randy Lang of the INDNR to see if there would be any problems using native fish if I quarantined them and had them tested for VHS. He didn't believe there was but he emphasized I protect myself from any disease issues. I fully concur. There is no evidence they would, but I don't want the INDNR mandating I drain my ponds, if I get a positive VHS. Therefore I will quarantine any native fish I get in with an indoor tank and have several tested for VHS if I go that route. Dr. Strasser of BOAH suggested I come up with a HACCP plan to cover myself, which I will probably do if I get intrastate native fish.

As far as finding an Indiana supplier of pumpkinseeds I doubt it, and I used to be the president of the Indiana Aquaculture Association, quite active in it, and met a lot of the suppliers. Another thing I have found is the list of species provided in the Commercial Suppliers list for Indiana is not always accurate. I'll go back and look but I doubt pumpkinseeds are listed as there typically is no demand for them for pond stocking.

Ironically I've only bought fish from an Indiana producer (my state) once. All the rest of the fish I have purchased were out of state because I couldn't find what I was looking for in state (feed trained smallmouth, yellow perch, bluegills, brook and brown trout ). Additionally there are very few producers in the northern third of Indiana where I'm located. We have the best ground water supplies and soil for pond production, but for some reason hardly anyone is interested in supplying fish for pond stocking up here. I'd tried to get the message across when I was president of the IAAI and it seemed there just wasn't any willingness or any entrepreneural spirit. I've thought of doing it myself but I don't have enough land and I'd rather pursue higher value niche markets.

Edited by az9, 07 January 2009 - 11:26 AM.