43 



pond, the return from salable bait will average not 

 more than 10 percent, ranging from less than 1 percent 

 to about 25 percent. When advanced fry are stocked, 

 the returns are much better, amounting to 50 percent 

 of the number of fry planted. However, the drawback 

 in the stocking of advanced fry is the necessity of 

 skilled workmanship and experience to transfer these 

 fragile fish successfully. It is therefore recommended 

 that the beginner stock with eyed eggs, unless he can 

 purchase advanced fry, until he becomes familiar with 

 fish-cultural techniques. 



In ponds where no artificial feeding is planned, 

 the stocking rate can range from 100,000 to 500,000 

 eyed eggs, or between 25,000 and 100,000 advanced fry 

 per acre, depending upon the natural fertility of the 

 pond being used. Naturally, the richer ponds can be 

 stocked at a heavier rate. The size of the suckers 

 developing from th'is type of stocking will vary with 

 pond fertility, ranging from 2 to 8 inches in length 

 at the end of a 100-day growing season. Ponds stocked 

 with eyed eggs during the latter part of April or with 

 advanced fry in early May will yield salable fish by 

 July and continue to produce throughout the season. In 

 order to have salable fish available in July, the 

 operator must net and grade his fish. As fish derived 

 from the same planting of eggs are known to grow at 

 different rates, there will bemany sizes of suckers in 

 a./-pond by the latter part of August. It is desirable 

 and recommended that the fi sh-culturis t start grading 

 the minnows as soon as a sufficient number are of 

 salable size. In this way, the fastest-growing fish 

 will be removed, leaving more food for the smaller ones. 

 The stocking rate of ponds where food is provided 

 can range from 500,000 to 1,000,000 eyed eggs or 100,000 

 to 300,000 advanced fryper acre ofwater. If eyed eggs 

 were used for stocking and a good hatch occurred and the 

 pond appears to be overstocked, some of the fry can be 

 removed to other waters. Sucker fry should be fed as 

 soon as they become interested in artificial food. At 

 « first the food should be very finely ground and ihtro- 

 duced sparingly along the shore in shallow water. As 

 soon as it is evident that the fish are consuming the 

 food, the amount can be increased. The quantity of 

 food to be given each day will depend entirely upon 

 the amount consumed by the fish. No more should be 

 fed than the fish will consume in a 2-hour period. 

 However, suckers should be fed an amount sufficient to 



