W. Guthrie Perry, Jr.

Polyculture Studies with Channel Catfish and Buffalo

Polyculture studies were conducted in coastal brackish ponds evaluating buffalo (Ictiobus spp.) and channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) combinations. The 1973 and 1974 southwest Louisiana studies demonstrated feeding to be necessary, without it, buffalo were found to compete with catfish for natural foods. Bigmouth buffalo (I. cyprinellus), black buffalo (I. niger) and bigmouth x black hybrid buffalo when stocked at 100 per acre with 1,600 and 2,000 catfish did not compete to any extent for supplemental feed. Addition of buffalo in some ponds actually resulted in increased catfish...

Influence of Floating and Sinking Feeds and Fingerling Size on Channel Catfish Productions

A comparison was made with a floating and sinking ration of similar analysis produced by the same manufacturer. This study demonstrated an increase in catfish production when using the sinking ration. Moreover, the sinking feed produced fish of a larger average size, a better food conversion, and a smaller Ktl factor. Use of sinking feed represented a savings of approximately $54 to $72 per acre on the feed bill. Data were compared for the influence of fingerlings size at stocking (4.5, 6.5 and 8 inch) upon catfish production. The larger fingerlings experienced larger S-factors; however,...

Polyculture Studies With Blue, White And Channel Catfish In Brackish Water Ponds

This paper includes a discussion of a catfish polyculture experiment conducted in brackish water ponds at the Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, Grand Chenier, Louisiana. Ponds containing channel catfish (1ctaluTUs punctatus) only served as controls and were compared to other ponds containing various stocking ratios of blue (1. furcatus) , channel and white catfish (I. catus) to determine if production could be increased. Length-weight relationships, coefficients of condition, food conversions, survival and growth data were compared in an analysis of the various stocking combinations. These...

Crawfish-Waterfowl, A Multiple Use Concept For Impounded Marshes

A study was initiated in order to evaluate crawfish (Procambarus clarki) production in several impoundments managed for waterfowl on Rockefeller Refuge, Grand Chenier, Louisiana. Impoundments have been intensively managed for waterfowl on the refuge for the past 16 years, however, this has been through a gravity flow system. Pumping units were installed in three ofthe impoundments in 1968, bringing under water control some 6,000 acres of marshland. Certain management techniques employed in these impoundments, particularly in the areas controlled by pumping units, have significantly...

Culture Of Blue, Channel And White Catfish In Brackish Water Ponds

Brackish water pond studies were conducted in coastal Southwest Louisiana with blue, lctalurus furcatus, channel, lctalurus punctatus, and white catfish, lctalurus catus, to determine if these freshwater species could be cultured in saline ponds. The channel and white catfish proved to be the most rapid growing and the most hardy, averaging 0.80 and 0.70 pounds. The blue catfish averaged 0.6 pound. The channel catfish had the lowest S-value of 2.3, the white catfish had a S-value of 2.9 and the blue catfish had as-value of 4.0. Survival was highest for channel catfish, 91 per cent, and...

Preliminary Experiment On The Culture Of Blue, Channel And White Catfish In Brackish Water Ponds

This paper reports on pond culture experiments conducted when fingerling blue, Ictalurus furcatus, channel, I. punctatus, and white catfish, I. catus, were stocked in nine brackish water ponds at Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge. All three freshwater species were stocked in ponds with an equal amount of acclimatization to determine survival, growth, food conversion, and to determine if freshwater catfish could be raised in brackish water ponds. In the past, fish culturist felt that catfish could not be grown in coastal ponds with salinities of over 1.5 parts per thousand. In the Rockefeller...

Distribution And Relative Abundance Of Blue Catfish, Ictalurus Furcatus, And Channel Catfish, Ictalurus Punctatus, With Relation To Salinity

A study was conducted with blue and channel catfish to determine the effect of salinity upon distribution in a tidal bayou complex on Rockefeller Refuge, Grand Chenier, Louisiana. Stations were spaced at locations from the Gulf of Mexico to Grand Lake, a large freshwater body of water which is apparently quite productive of blue and channel catfish. Collections were made primarily with an otter trawl towed for 10-minute intervals at each sampling station. Hoop nets, wire traps, trammel nets, trot lines and rotenone were used to verify trawling results. Distributional data indicated...