Sexing Fish

[Andy Macfarlane]

Hello Again,

Does anyone know how to sex Pike especially and maybe some other fish too?I had a look about the net and cannot find any simple information on the subject.Its all genomes and Dr.s notes to each other.I ask because there is a vacant spot of water near my way (absolutely fishless..well...till I introduced Perch adults and trout fry and feeder fish)and I would like to put some Pike/Tench,Roach etc. in.I could just stick lots of fish in and let nature take over but I would rather let the feeder fish proliferate first before the Pike spawn next year or after.The thing is I would rather not be moving great numbers of fish about so I would rather have just a few Males and Females.I have prepared the water with numerous weed types and have introduced all manner of living things (daphnia,freshwater shrimp,frogs,and bugs etc.)to kickstart the ecology of the place.I have also checked the PH of the water and the temp which are just great...it wasnt always like this.A mate also checked for pollutants at University and said the levels were minimal in comparison to some well stocked waters.Before you all start with the EA warnings....I know what they say...and I dont really worry because they never actually do much up my way anyroad.If they did this place would have been stocked years ago.Plus if they actually saw the lengths we have been taking to turn this hole into a nature site,they would be hard pushed to prove negligence or careless behaviour.It looks absolutely @#$% hot now I reckon and I think its time it should be stocked.I'm hoping in 5 years or so it will have turned into a right good spot.Its also unlikely to get battered to death because it is very easy to drive right past without ever knowing of its existance.Please help.I know I'm doing this place a favour.

[OP-JB]

[

Firstly may I declare my interest. I own and manage still waters and I am a professional trout stream keeper. I am fully qualified to run my various fish farms and have been in the industry since school.

I think what you have done Andy is extreamly irresponsible. The Environment Agency should have been consulted before you introduced anything into this pond. They would not have stifled your efforts or enthusiasm but would have given you expert and local advice about how to begin life in a pond correctly.

Five years ago an illinformed fishing club member introduced a few strands of weed into a pond at the top of one of my rivers. The weed turned out to be HIGHLY invasive and has ruined the upper trout stream streches by over running the crucial resident weed types. At the moment I am working at great lengths to stop it taking over completely.

May I refer you to the problems arising from the introduction of Motherless Minnows and Topmouth Gudgeon in to the River Test catchment. These batch spawners are going cause serious competition with the small silver fish in the very near future. These too were introduced through ignorance.

Don`t even start me about American Signal Crayfish!

Your comment about `knowing what they say` with regards to the laws of the land and pressumably Section 30s proves you have an intent to do things your way, which worries me alot. The 1975 S and FW Fisheries Act was produced to save us and the environment from people like you. Maybe the E.A.are not high profile in your area because they haven`t been asked in or made aware of sites which are fit for restocking. Now is the time to bring them in and hold them to their statutory promises..To Maintain, Improve and Develop.

 

Op -JB

[Zinky]

Spot on OP-JB,

Some dickwad put pike in a small pool of mine a few years back and totally stuffed up the fishing, They went in during the winter and as we only fished the pool in June and July.It took me some time to cotton on to what was going on.

Roach and Rudd stocks devistated and carp with teeth marks and damage,6 months of a free feed, The pool has never been the same since and as for the pike they went to a good home all 10 of them all between 10 and 15lb.

The chap that did this actual owned up and had no right to be fishing, his car was never the same after that and he moved out of the area.

The Dragon's Fire and all that.

The following winter we lost all the carp in a 3 week ice over of the pool.

Not fished the place for 3 years so its time to pay a visit and see if nature has done its work.

 

:mad: :mad:

[Chris Playle]

Another question you need to ask yourself Andy is;

 

Are you sure the water is vacant? No doubt the pond or pool will be on someones land and you stocking the pond might not be to their liking. Not only this, once the pond is stocked will the owner be happy to let you fish it?

 

Tight lines.

 

Chris.

[Andy Macfarlane]

Surprise if all the clever "Dickwads" jump in feet first.Do you actually think I have no idea what goes on in the world.Maybe if you stopped harping on about Zander,weed,crayfish,ownership etc.and actually took any notice I think you will find ALL of these problems occured in England..the only similar problem we have here is the introduction of foreign species to Loch Lomond.Chub and Ruffe are species which could only have come from "Dickwads" coming up here with thier know all tactics and screwing up 1 of the premier fisheries in Scotland.Cheers

Here we go....

1:Its generally 40 Ft Deep so weed is hardly going to choke it and the types of weed you have down South are not the same types we have here.The weed I selected was also taken from a water (shallower,warmer and definately not choked) not 30 yards away and would have inevetably ended up there anyway..nor is it an invasive variety.English waters also tend to be of a higher alkaline level which allows for plant growth...Scotland is mostly acidic which does not.I have also been educated as well mister.You also have a vast temperature difference which allows for weed to proliferate.

2:Its an abondoned quarry which was only given up 2 years ago..up till then it was bone dry.Also the water was too acidic up till last year

3:I already consulted the local council about ownership.Nobody owns it...thats what abondoned means.Its a free for all.

4:I was a member of a Club (less than 2 miles from this place) who for the 5 years (and are probably still trying)I was a member tried to get the EA to act upon a private trout water which had a problem with introduced Perch.They never did anything so I dont believe for a second they are going to do anything at all about this place.

5:DONT GO TARRING ME WITH THE SAME BRUSH AS THE ********S THAT ****ED UP A WATER WITH FISH IN IT ALREADY....YOU DONT KNOW EVERYTHING AND YOU CERTAINLY DONT KNOW ME.

Thank You for being so inconsiderate and abusive OK.

[Zinky]

Ok Haggis Basher but if the cap fits and all that.

Stay cool, Keep your kilt on.

Best of luck with your little project.

Just a little info on our latest weed problem

CRASSULA HELMSII

 

New Zealand pygmy weed, is one of a number of aquatic plant species. Introduced into this Country for garden ponds that grows very well in our climate. It has now spread rapidly into Lakes and ponds across South East England and is now found in Cumbria in Derwentwater, Bassenthwaite and Coniston.

 

This is particularly worrying as both Bassenthwaite and Derwentwater are Sites of Special Scientific Interest and candidate Special Areas of Conservation under the EU Habitats and Species Directive. Part of their special interest is the presence of a plant called floating water-plantain, which is a scarce species in this Country and known to be declining in Europe. The spread of New Zealand pygmy weed in these two Lakes is a threat to the survival of floating water-plantain.

 

This weed is extremely invasive and spreads quickly across water bodies. Its method of growing means it can successfully propagate from very small fragments. These fragments can be carried between Waters, through water, birds or on wet angling equipment and clothing. The plant can grow on a variety of substrates and in different depths of water. It can even grow on damp lake shores. Where New Zealand pygmy weed appears it can rapidly spread over the shallow areas of a water eliminating the native flora. In small waters it can cover and choke the entire surface to the exclusion of any other plants, leading to the loss of native aquatic flora and the natural habitats for invertebrates and fish. Without immediate action in Cumbria and elsewhere in the North West there is a real danger of this plant spreading to other Waters.

 

English Nature, The Environment Agency and other Conservation Organisations are fighting the spread of this weed. Anglers must be diligent and ensure their footwear, clothing, landing nets and other equipment is free from all plant fragments before moving between Waters. This will minimize spreading the plant accidentally. The control of this weed is difficult and expensive and advice should immediately be sought from the Environment Agency if it is found on other Waters

 

[ 11 April 2002, 01:45 PM: Message edited by: Dragonbat ]

[Kappa]

As for sexing fish (with the exception of tench) no you cannot. Or at least no you can't easily ... in some species the males develop tubecles (spelling?) on their heads close to spawning. Alternetively you could throw loads of gonadotrophins at them and see whether they develop eggs or milt.

 

Personally I wouldn't bother fish are perfectly capable of sex change and we all know what happened in Jurassic park when someone tried to introduce species beliving they were in control....

 

You DO NOT have the scientific expertise or knowledge to do this by yourself and it will most probably blow up in your face.

[Andy Macfarlane]

Richard,

The first sentence would have done thanks.Thats all I need to know.Also you seem to believe in Jurassic Park and the consequences.Its a film....its fiction..it never happened M8..I am not Michael Chrichton...nor am I looking into genetics...there are no dinosaurs living on an Island somewhere..and the fish arent going to grow to 60 feet tall and eat folk.Sorry to ruin that for you....By the way..Santas not real either.And again you are jumping to conclusions.Who said I was doing this on my own?I also said I have been consulting my friend at University (re: original post)who does in actual fact knows exactly what he is doing.The only reason I asked in here was because I cannot pester him at Uni while he does his examinations.I am not some idiotic learner who decided to chuck some fish in a see what happens.I know there are possible consequences to be had but I also intend to keep them to a minimum.Can one of you doubters tell me what harm can come to a non-existant,hypothetical,population of nothingness..**** !...maybe all these fish will eat all the nothingness.That would be a disaster.Thats why I am asking questions..please stop assuming that I am in some way...brain dead.Anyway...I hope it goes very well.Maybe one day I can show you all a photo of some of the fish I intend to catch...then you might want to know where it is...I wont be as forthcoming with information that time.Looks like me and my SCIENTIST friend will have it all to ourselves.Pity...Im not usually tight with location information.

[John 'BLOCK']

Very heated indeed !! a balance is always needed with things of this nature...and to a degree i can sypathise with the chap who is showing initative...but always consult is the message.

Unforunately like manythings within the infrastructure of the country the EA simply is not given enough support or money to be everywhere at once.

on more positive note with things done that cant be undone...let hope it works out !!!!

[Peter Sharpe]

Anyway, going back to the original question: tickle it between the pectorals; if he laughs it's a male, and if she laughs it's a female. Simple.