Finding Great Fish Suppliers

If you are a new pond keeper then you will have no doubt heard of Fish Suppliers. These suppliers are the place you turn when you need fish for your pond. There are a lot of different types of Fish Suppliers, the one that you choose will depend on the type of fish you want to keep. For instance, a new pond keeper may only have a few species, in which case a general supplier would be more appropriate. A seasoned keeper with several species and possibly an aggressive fish can use a specialist supplier.

If you are looking for frozen fish, there are many suppliers to choose from. Some of the larger fish suppliers have their own websites where they show the range of fish they have available as well as details of how they come to terms with the fish. Other suppliers can order from the fish company directly. Quality companies will have their frozen product frozen overnight and delivered within two or three days.

One important thing to look at when choosing fish suppliers is the inspection of the hatchery where the fish are hatched. Hatcheries can be full of bacteria and lead, if they do not follow strict guidelines. Many suppliers will sell the whole year’s stock to experienced hatcheries and may even come back every year to collect the eggs. If the eggs are not collected regularly they could hatch and then the fry may die.

You can also get supplies of fish for ponds direct from the breeders themselves. They often breed a limited number of fish species for small pond applications and will be happy to recommend the best ones for your purposes. Sometimes you may see a breeder offering hatchery fish but they will probably be breeding bass and/or catfish and not using zebra or perch for their fingerlings. Bass and catfishes are easy to breed at home and are less difficult to handle. Perch are difficult to breed at home and may not survive in the pond environment unless you are keeping a small population of fingerlings.

Hybrid Bream Fingerlings: There have been some excellent hybrid bream fingerlings available recently. The hybrid bream is becoming more popular with anglers because they are a more affordable alternative to the purebred bass. Hybrid breams can tolerate low levels of pollution, are better overall fish for ponds and can grow very well. For those just starting out, a hybrid bream fingerling may be the way to go.

VHS Pre-entry Permit: Before you begin to collect any fish species it is always a good idea to check with the local state department to find out the size of the water and the size of the pond you will be dealing with. They will ask for a VHS pre-entry permit. This VHS pre-entry permit is issued once you have proven to them that you have an understanding of the lake water, the species you wish to collect, and that you have a pond for stocking. Once you have your permit, you are officially allowed to collect and stock the fish species. Each pond that receives a VHS pre-entry permit must display a sign acknowledging that the permit is valid for that particular date. Without a valid VHS pre-entry permit, you cannot stock any of the species in your pond.