Right now, the full shad system is running, but we have not gotten the shad yet. Before we put the shad in the system, we have to run tests to see if the tank is working properly. Shad are extremely sensitive creatures. If you so much as touch them with a net in their aquarium, they will die. We are testing for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH levels in the water.
Temperature also makes a difference.
We may have to move the aquarium to a new area if the spot we have selected is too warm for the shad. Shad have been called poor man's salmon because of their scrumptious roe and delicious meat. They used to be so common that people thought they could just pick them out of the water. Overfishing and dams have taken their toll on the shad. To help you understand how dams and overfishing are endangering the shad, we'll tell you a bit about the shad's lifecycle.