SCUDS AND THE POND ECOSYSTEM (one tiny experiment.....)

[Mmathis]

When I change out the quilt batting in my filters, there are always hundreds of scuds in the media. Since they are scavengers, and beneficial to the ecosystem, I feel bad to toss them when I change the batting out. So have been harvesting as many as I can and thought I would try to grow some.

For no good reason other than I hate letting them die.....

One thing I did was make some "scud farms." I partially cut the sides out of a couple of plastic bottles [sports drink bottles, which are fairly rigid] then wrapped & glued screen mesh around the bottle. I left the cap in place so there would be access to the contents. Filled the bottles with some "bottom crud" from when I netted, as well as plant pieces, etc. Also added some small pieces of cut-up quilt batting and scraps of the screen mesh, as well as a little gravel just to be sure the bottle would sink. Then put a bunch of the harvested scud [is "scud" plural?] inside. Then I tossed the "scud farms" into the deeper part of the pond, where most of the bad stuff ends up. Since I used the dark screen material, you can't see them.

I have NO IDEA what's going to happen, but I'm hoping that I am starting "scud colonies" down there. I read that the little critters do better when they have some type of "structure" in their environment, as they prefer that over just free-swimming. Guessing that's why you find them mostly in filter media, gravel, and around plant roots.

Now, to add to the weirdness, I brought in about 300 last evening [yes, I counted] and put them in the small 1 1/2 gallon tank I had previously used for some very small fry. Gonna see if they will survive and grow -- I read that a colony of scuds can pretty much be self-sustaining. I gave them some more cut-up pieces of quilt batting [for "structure"] and some plant matter and fish food to munch on. There is a small air-lift filter in the tank.

Do you think the goldfish will eat some if I feed them? The little critters move & scoot around pretty fast..... Would the GF be able to catch them???

 

[Fishylove]

Trout eat em' so I don't why gf wouldn't if they had access to them.

 

[JohnHuff]

What is a scud?

The only thing I know as a Scud is a ballistic tactical missile developed by the other side:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scud

and when I did a Google search, I found this:
1. A female who appears to be attractive from a distance but is in fact unattractive when viewed closely
from the Urban Dictionary: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=scud
I know that there are probably "hundreds of scuds in the media", but somehow, I don't think that's what you're talking about...

 

[Carolyn22]

What is a scud?

The only thing I know as a Scud is a ballistic tactical missile developed by the other side:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scud

and when I did a Google search, I found this:
1. A female who appears to be attractive from a distance but is in fact unattractive when viewed closely
from the Urban Dictionary: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=scud
I know that there are probably "hundreds of scuds in the media", but somehow, I don't think that's what you're talking about...

Too funny!

TM - I was going to ask what a scud was too. I don't think I will google it - I will just end up with what John found.

 

[Mucky_Waters]

Is it A, B, or C.

A

B

C

 

[JohnHuff]

Now I know what they are, why don't you toss them into the pond? According to what I've read, fish love to eat them, especially the fish fry.

I feel bad to toss them when I change the batting out.

 

[Carolyn22]

They look like little shrimp. How big are they?

 

[JohnHuff]

Up to 1/4 inch long:
http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/scud.htm

They look like little shrimp. How big are they?

 

[Mmathis]

A

 

[Mmathis]

Hmmmm, I think the issue is whether the fish can catch them! Last night I put about a dozen into the fry tank. Little buggers disappeared to the bottom of the tank so fast, no way the fish were going to spot them. Next time I'll make sure the fish are hovering there, waiting for their regular food before I introduce the scuds.

 

[Mmathis]

Now I know what they are, why don't you toss them into the pond? According to what I've read, fish love to eat them, especially the fish fry.

What was happening here was before I started "harvesting" them. When I'd pull the batting to clean it, was losing all the scuds.

 

[Mmathis]

Well, after a little bit of experimentation, have figured out a technique for feeding scuds to the baby fish I have in the inside tank [not concerned with the "pond" fish -- they can find their own live food, LOL!].

I get a bunch of the scuds in a cup, then suck them up into a baster. When I feed, I have a "signal" I use to let the fish know it's chow time [4 taps x 4 -- Dr. Who]. When I put the tip of the baster in the water, and tap the inside of the glass, the fish come a'running. I have to be careful to only release a few at a time (there are 3 baby GF and a couple of baby RR's) because when a fish eats a scud, it has to finish that one before it goes after another one. If I release too many at a time, they get away and scurry to the bottom and out of harm's way.

But that answers the question as to whether they like and will eat them