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How Can I Keep My Pond & Fish Healthy With All Of This Hot Weather? | Ponds & Lakes Q&A

Posted on July 6, 2012 by thepondguy

Q: How can I keep my pond & fish healthy with all of this hot weather?

Cheryl – Cheshire, OH

A: If you’re feeling the heat, there’s a good chance the game fish in your pond are feeling it, too. Not only will they sense the temperature increase in the water, but they’ll also be affected by a decreased amount of dissolved oxygen in their environment.

So what can you do to keep the fish in your lake or pond cool and comfortable? Check out these four expert-recommended tips:

1. Provide a Cool Habitat: Like humans and other land-dwellers, fish like a place to hide to get out of the sun. They’ll slip under the shade of plants, swim inside logs and take advantage of spots like the Porcupine Fish Attractor Spheres, which encourage plant growth and give them a place to feel safe, shaded and protected.

2. Keep the Water Moving: When the water moves and circulates with an aeration system like an Airmax® Shallow Water Aeration System or an above-surface fountain like a Kasco Decorative Fountain, it allows for greater gas exchange at the water’s surface, expelling dangerous ammonia and taking in healthy oxygen. This provides more “breathable” space for your fish to swim deeper in the pond – where it’s cooler.

3. Rake Out Dead Debris: To cut back on the dangerous gasses being produced in your lake or pond, remove dead debris and decomposing plant matter with a pond cutter and rake, like the Pond Logic® Pond Rake & Weed Cutter Combo. Less debris in your lake means less gas is being produced.

4. Be Cautious of Water Treatments: Dead or dying organic materials can reduce oxygen levels quickly, so be cautious when using algaecides or herbicides to treat algae and other weeds. Rather than dosing your entire pond or lake, treat one section at a time, waiting a week or two before treating another area. This allows the fish to remain in the unaffected areas.

With a little planning and a some regular maintenance, you can keep your recreational pond or lake healthy no matter the temperatures. Your fish will thank you for it!

Pond Talk: What do you do to keep cool during these scorching heat waves?

Kasco Fountains - Add Tranquility To Your Pond

Filed under: Aeration, Fish, Fish Accessories, Fish Care, Fish Habitat, Pond & Lake | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

What Is A Hybrid Bluegill? Should I Put Them In My Pond? | Ponds & Lakes Q&A

Posted on March 2, 2012 by thepondguy

What Is A Hybrid Bluegill? Should I Put Them In My Pond? What Is A Hybrid Bluegill? Should I Put Them In My Pond?

Richard - Sheridan, IL

Stocking up on fish for your pond can be fun and exciting, but if you’re thinking of adding bluegill, knowing some of the key differences between hybrid and regular bluegill will help you maintain a balanced pond.

Regular bluegill can grow to be anywhere between six and ten inches, and are olive green with an orange underbelly. They have uniform blue-black markings on the gills and fins, hence the name bluegill. The issue with regular bluegill is they reproduce quickly and can take over a pond very fast if there is not a suitable predator fish population keeping them in check. We recommend stocking your pond with hybrid bluegill to help prevent overpopulation.

Hybrid bluegill are a cross between male bluegill and female sunfish, which result in an 80%-90% of the population being reproduced male. This slows down fast reproduction by keeping the female population to a minimum. Do to their hybrid nature, they can also be slightly larger and have a bit more coloration to them than regular bluegill.

Whenever stocking any type of bluegill, keeping the population in check is key. To do this you must have the correct ratio of predator fish such as bass or walleye. We recommend a 3 to 1 ratio between prey and predator. This means for every 3 prey, you need one predator. For example, if you stock 150 bluegill you will want approximately 50 bass.

When stocking your pond with bluegill, use hybrid bluegill. They are still great for fishing and with these fish attractors, you’ll have plenty of action!

POND TALK: Have you ever had an overpopulation of bluegill in your pond? What did you do to keep the population in check?

Tomahawk Live Traps - Fish Trap

Filed under: Fish, Fish Accessories, Fish Care, Fish Habitat, Fish Stocking, Pond & Lake | Tagged: , , , , | 4 Comments »

Should I put catfish in my pond? | Ponds & Lakes Q&A

Posted on January 26, 2012 by thepondguy

Should I put catfish in my pond?

Should I put catfish in my pond?
Steven – Middlebrook, VA

Catfish are some of the most diverse fish on the planet, both in behavior and appearance, and inhabit just about every continent except Antarctica. They live in shallow, freshwater environments, which can make them ideal for pond life here in North America. We generally only recommend channel catfish for ponds since they are the most common, but it will largely depend on your pond type and temperature. Catfish generally prefer warmer water (60-70 degrees Fahrenheit) with little to no currents, and since they are bottom feeders, they are drawn to darker areas.

They are also known to make for good fishing, and in warm environments they can be easy to farm and/or eat, and are very tasty if cooked properly. Fisherman and pond owners alike can use these Porcupine Fish Attractors to help improve fishing conditions and to provide an adequate habitat for Catfish to spawn and grow. In addition we also recommend using this Game Grower Fish Food to guarantee your fish have food and to increase their overall size.

Catfish have little effect on the predator-prey relationship in freshwater environments comparative to predators like bass or prey like bluegills. They also pose no threat to humans, unless you’re planning on doing any swimming in eastern Europe, where there have been rare instances of large catfish (the 6 foot, 200 pound kind) attacking humans. Their only relative drawback is that they tend to kick up a lot of bottom debris, which can lead to cloudy, murky pond water.

In the end, putting catfish in your pond comes down to personal preference, rather than something that should or should not be done. They are well suited for pond life and will have little (if any) negative impact on the ecosystem already in place. It also doesn’t hurt that they can be pretty good to eat and easy to farm.

Porcupine Fish Attractor Spheres

Filed under: Catfish, Fish, Fish Accessories, Fish Care, Fish Habitat, Fish Stocking, Game Fish Food, Pond & Lake | Tagged: , , , | 15 Comments »

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