sheepshead..... in a freshwater pond?

[KATALEKEEPER]

So what I am hearing is you are guessing?

nah did you read the thread in the link?

 

[KATALEKEEPER]

Those do look like sheepshead, though I can’t zoom in without it becoming blurry. I also see a possible largemouth bass due to the horizontal stripe and black tail, and the other fish look like tilapia. I don’t think they can be in full fresh, but largemouth bass and I think some species of tilapia, can be in brackish water. My guess is this is brackish water, but I don’t know if they are in a pond without evidence.

read the thread the pond owner tells the people whats in the pond lol

 

[KATALEKEEPER]

yall didnt do ur research lol

the context is the guy wants to know if they can BREED in freshwater. he stocked them himself, he knows they are sheepshead

"I was wondering because there's two in my pond. One that has been in there for 15 years and the other for 2 years. The second was 13" when placed in and the old guy was double the size of the new one. No idea of the sex of the fish and was just wondering if there could be such thing as a "freshwater" sheepshead... (spawn)"

 

[Fishman Dave]

Mmmmmmm, first thoughts are that they appear to have one too many stripes to be sheepshead, but they could be as they can be found in fresh water. Keeping them for 15 years or more in fresh seems a challenge.
Breeding them in fresh would I think be no chance, as I believe they breed out at sea.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

the link here!

Thank you for this. An interesting finding and an interesting forum, especially for me as I live in Florida too. Live and learn I guess.

I've read the whole exchange with interest. Sounds like the guys agree that in hard fresh water the sheepshead can manage but will not breed, as they breed in marine water. Of course, all we can do is go by the OP's words that he has had at least one sheepshead in there for 15 years.

 

[KATALEKEEPER]

i agree with what you guys said!

 

[id10t]

We do get sheepshead (and mullet and snook and ....) in the springs here in Florida, so yes having them in fresh water is possible. I don't know if any of the population stays in freshwater and breeds or if they are only migrating during the colder weather times (springs here are 72 all year).

 

[BillyMaysChickenWings]

Ok I saw this and wow! Is it awesome. some guy has been keeping sheepshead in a freshwater pond for 15+ years! It would be an interesting thing for someone to try...View attachment 1442212

....Interesting

 

[aaronhas]

very neat! I'm not surprised they can survive in freshwater, lots of species refuse to abide by our logic. I've heard stories about flounder in NC and Delaware surviving well in freshwater and supposedly breeding there as well

 

[Moontanman]

Lots of coastal saltwater fish either can live in or actually swim upstream when they are young, I've kept a large number of fish in freshwater I've caught in marine environments here in NC. Some die as they approach adulthood like hog chokers, some like mullets can live in freshwater indefinitely but can't breed. If this guy has a breeding population of sheepshead in freshwater the great lakes want his fish to eat the invasive mussels.