WirthPonds

Wirth's Ponds and Small Lakes Wiki

Lake in Canada

LARGEMOUTH BASS (Micropterus salmoides)
David Dingess with Largemouth (Fairview, TN)
 * Also called Black bass, Green Trout, Bigmouth bass, and Lineside bass


 * Grow 4-6 inches in their first year and are usually 16 inches by 3 years
 * Tend to be green with dark blotches down their sides, which form a stripe
 * Undersides are light green or almost white
 * Dorsal fins contain nine spines
 * Top predator in the aquatic system (other than humans)
 * Primarily feed on other fish and crayfish
 * Large bass also feed on smaller bass
 * Spawn in waters around 60 degrees F
 * Males build and guard nest
 * Nests built in two to eight feet of water
 * Nests built in quieter areas with a lot of vegetation
 * Eggs hatch within five to ten days
 * Average lifespan is 16 years
 * Younger bass stick together but adults are solitary and might be in same area, but won't interact

Pond in Fairview, Tennessee

= = = = = = = = = = = = = Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) =


 * ﻿Largest member of the minnow family
 * Usually goldish-bronze in color
 * Very long dorsal fin with one sharp spine in the front
 * Two barbels on each side of the upper jaw
 * Brought to America in 1876 from Europe
 * Can now be found from coast to coast
 * Feed primarily on plankton, insects, and aquatic plants
 * Build nests in shallow, weedy water
 * Valuable food source in many areas of the world, but not in America, yet
 * Can grow to over 50 pounds

Lee Srebnick with carp caught in Tims Ford Lake (Winchester, TN)



Lake in Canada

CHANNEL CATFISH (ICTALURUS PUNCTATOS)


Lee Srebnick and pals with channel catfish (Fairview, TN)
 * Also called Willow cat, Forked- tail cat, Fiddler, Spotted cat, Lady cat
 * Deeply forked tail fin
 * Upper jaw projects past lower jaw
 * Tend to be olive-brown to slate- blue on back
 * Silver- white belly
 * Many black spots (may be hard to see on large adult)
 * Spawn in late spring/early summer
 * Spawn in water temperatures around 75 degrees F
 * Males select nest location (dark, secluded areas)
 * Males guard nest until eggs hatch after a week
 * Young catfish eat small insects
 * Adults are omnivorous and eat just about anything
 * Takes three to six years to sexually mature
 * Native to North America east of the Rockies
 * Very common in California as well
 * Ranked third behind Bass and Crappie as the most preferred fish to catch



Lake in Canada

= BLUE GILL (LEPOMIS MACROCHIRUS) =




 * Also called Bream, Brim, Perch, Sun fish, Sun perch
 * Distinguished by dark spot at bottom of dorsal fin, bars on their side, and a small mouth
 * Dorsal fin usually has 10 spines
 * Back and upper sides are dark green and blend to brown, copper, or orange sides
 * Reddish- orange bellies
 * Male's colors are more intense (Yes, I said more intense)
 * Spawn in water around 70 degrees F
 * Very large reproduction rates
 * Leads to overpopulation (and a lot of stolen bait)
 * Nests are made in shallow water and may be crammed with 50 others
 * Bluegills are omnivorous
 * Native to the eastern half of the United States
 * Largest ever caught: 4 lbs 12 oz

David Dingess with Bluegill (Rock Island, TN)

= EUGLENA﻿ MICROSCOPIC ORGANISMS ﻿ EUDORINA  =


 * One active flagellum ---Colonial flagellates
 * Reddish eye spot -- 10-25 microns in diameter
 * Numerous chloroplasts - Free- swimming, spherical cells with two flagella
 * Both animal and plant characteristics - Have chloroplast and make food from sunlight
 * Over 100 species of Euglena

= RAT-TAILED MAGGOT  =

http://www.naturegrid.org.uk/pondexplorer/pond-bot.html#flatworm


 * Worm-like body with short legs
 * Insect larvae
 * Breathing snorkel that extends out of water
 * When adults, leave water and become hoverfly

= FLATWORM  =



http://www.naturegrid.org.uk/pondexplorer/pond-bot.html#flatworm
 * Lives on the bottom of the pond
 * Large surface area improves oxygen uptake
 * This allows them to live on the bottom where such little oxygen is present
 * Feed on small insects and crustaceans

= WATER LILY  =

Water Lilies (Canada)
 * Most easily recognized aquatic plant
 * Usually big, white or pink flowers surrounded by large, green, circular leaves
 * Average 25 cm in diameter
 * Leaves attached to underwater stalks
 * Flowers borne at the surface of the water and sometimes right above it
 * Can be 25 cm in diameter with yellow center
 * Can have around 25 petals
 * Native to Eastern half of United States and Canada
 * Flowers appear each spring (April)

Personal Reflection
This habitat is a very important aquatic habitat in the world. It supplies many animals with a place to live and a place to find food. It is also an important habitat for humans. Humans use ponds and lakes for food by fishing for certain organisms such as Bass, Catfish, Crappie, and Blue gill. In some areas of the world, even Carp. This provides alternative shelters to animals that can live by a river or even a larger lake. Without ponds and lakes people would all be fishing in the same areas and probably kill out the population of certain species because everyone would be fishing for the same kind of fish. Since there are plenty of ponds and lakes spread out across the country, there is no shortage on food for humans, nor is there a problem with animals becoming extinct.

**FOOD WEB**