Part III.] Pond Fish Culture. 131 



ones are usually from two to five inches in length. When a 

 year and a half old they will vary from four to seven inches in 

 length, the size depending largely upon the food supply, the 

 same as with other fishes. When two years old they vary from 

 six to ten inches in length, and are still good food for Black 

 bass. Full-grown specimens at from three to five years of age 

 will attain a weight of from two to three pounds. On account 

 of their slow growth and small size, we prefer them to German 

 carp for bass food. 



The young carp grow so fast that they are frequently too 

 large for food for bass when they are a year old. The carp 

 will usually weigh from one to five pounds when they are one 

 and a half to three years old. They grow very fast when the 

 food supply is good, and sometimes attain a weight of from 

 five to ten pounds when from three to four years old. Speci- 

 mens that would weigh about a pound were placed in a pond 

 here at the Hatchery. Three years afterwards, when they 

 were removed from the pond, there were fish in the bunch that 

 weighed from five to twelve pounds. After they reach a size 

 of from one pound up, not a great many of them are caught by 

 other fish, though we have seen carp that would weigh from 

 three to five pounds taken from the stomachs of large catfish 

 that were caught in the Kansas river at Lawrence. 



Goldfish as a Food Fish. 



Goldfish are not ordinarily considered at all when we speak 

 of food fishes. However, we have tried them and find that 

 they are edible and are a very fair food fish. They should be 

 killed, bled, dressed and cooked all the same day. They grow 

 from two to even three pounds in weight when in ponds, and 

 might be raised as a food fish in small bodies of water. In 

 Washington, D. C., we noticed a fish on the market that was 

 sold under the name of "Sand perch." The fish were selling 

 at 121/2 cents per pound. We examined some of them and 

 found that they were nothing more than an uncolored variety 

 of goldfish. These fish would average about one-half a pound 

 each in weight. They were plump and fat and seemed to sell 

 readily. We questioned some of the purchasers, and were in- 

 formed that, for the price, the "Sand perch" was one of the 

 best fish on the market. In the same market fresh carp were 

 also sold at from 10 to I2V2 cents per pound, in competition 

 with all the various fresh- and salt-water fish that were being 

 placed on the Washington markets. We know of no fish that 

 could be produced in greater quantities in small ponds than 

 goldfish. Catfish and sunfish might be raised in the same 

 ponds with them. Goldfish taken out of ponds where the water 

 is warm and not very good should be placed in a small pond 

 or tank where a small stream of fresh and good water could be 

 supplied. The fish should then be fed on clean food, such as 



