Feeding pond fish
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Dozernut
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It's cheaper at a feed mill.
We used to have a fish feeder suspended over the water that worked on a timer much like a deer feeder. We took a piece of black flexable plastic tubing, made a circle out of it and staked it underneath the feeder with a fence post. The tubing floats on the surface of the water and contains the feed in a small area. We had catfish and they would make the water inside the circle look like it was boiling when they were feeding.
TBAR
TBAR
Do the grass carp help? I have a small 1/2 acre pond that is filled with Bass, bluegill, crappie, and perch. It is also weed choked at the moment. I don't feed them anything, unless it's at the end of my fishing line /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif...they get plenty of food however as my 2 and 1/2 year old son caught a 17.5 inch Largemouth that weighed about 3 pounds just last week. How many grass carp did you put in?
FLDave
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50 lb. bags of Floating Catfish Pellets at Tractor Supply Company (TSC) for a little over 11 dollars a bag. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
SPIKER
Elite Member
get the local small kids to come fish they will feed them tons of wroms! lol.
we actually feed them old bread and they will learn adn follow you around the pond feed ing as you go. it takes a while but the bluegills will come up fast and the bass and such will follow the comotion. as for feeding the grass carp, they eat weeds but will take CORN too. feed hole ears or hole kernal corn. always feed in one spot for them, they will find it and lear it gets put there for them... chasing them won't work. we had about 10 or 15 but right after stocking them we had soem major flooding and 1/2 of them were up in the yard 50+ feet from the pond edge. water running in at a rate of about 2" high adn 20 feet across, then running out just as fast. last summer we could only find 2 after 5 or so years of them being in there... they are abotu 30" long now though. never fed them either.
Mark M /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
we actually feed them old bread and they will learn adn follow you around the pond feed ing as you go. it takes a while but the bluegills will come up fast and the bass and such will follow the comotion. as for feeding the grass carp, they eat weeds but will take CORN too. feed hole ears or hole kernal corn. always feed in one spot for them, they will find it and lear it gets put there for them... chasing them won't work. we had about 10 or 15 but right after stocking them we had soem major flooding and 1/2 of them were up in the yard 50+ feet from the pond edge. water running in at a rate of about 2" high adn 20 feet across, then running out just as fast. last summer we could only find 2 after 5 or so years of them being in there... they are abotu 30" long now though. never fed them either.
Mark M /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
gsganzer
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Like others have said, buy the floating fish food at TSC. I also pounded a metal t-pole into the pond bank. Whenever I feed the fish, I pound the pole with a pipe a number of times.
Now the fish come when I simply pound the pole!! It's like the experiment with Pavlov's dogs and the bell. Only it's done redneck style with a t-pole and fish.
Now the fish come when I simply pound the pole!! It's like the experiment with Pavlov's dogs and the bell. Only it's done redneck style with a t-pole and fish.
Alan L.
Elite Member
I've got one of those Stren feeders on my 1.5 acre tank that holds 70 pounds of food. I have bluegill, bass and channel catfish. I get the 50 pound bag of catfish food at Tractor Supply and the bream (bluegill etc) and catfish go crazy over it. The bass don't eat it at all that I can tell.
That reminds me I need to stock up, as I'm feeding a bag about every couple of weeks.
That reminds me I need to stock up, as I'm feeding a bag about every couple of weeks.
gsganzer
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I've been feeding the TSC floating food. The bass eat it. They're usually the first to come in, when I feed.
theboman
Veteran Member
A few grass carp is too many. Have any vegatation growing in your pond? You should have some.... bugs eat the weeds, fish eat the bugs.
I know grass carp are useful in some instances but they will totally wipeout the vegatation as they did at Greenbo Lake here in Greenup County, KY. Now they let you keep the grass carp when you catch them after they ate the lake clean.
I know grass carp are useful in some instances but they will totally wipeout the vegatation as they did at Greenbo Lake here in Greenup County, KY. Now they let you keep the grass carp when you catch them after they ate the lake clean.
Well, I found out here in Wisconsin, grass carp are banned. I didn't really want to introduce a non-native species, but I need to get the weeds thinned. I am putting in a new aerator on Wed. I will try to post some pics of the pond then.
fishman
Veteran Member
If you can get some Purina Game Fish Chow, you can't go wrong. Around hear (TX) it's been selling for less than $15/bag. The main advantages it has over the TSC feed is that it comes in different particle sizes (feeds all sizes of fish), is round instead of extruded (less dust to clog feeder) and is higher protein (better conversion rate). Of course, the TSC feed will work fine too.
One feeder should suffice for a five acre lake. I'm partial to Sweeney feeders, and they are available over the internet direct Sweeney pond feeders . Pricey, but the numerous AF1100's I have experience with have never clogged or quit working. Can't say the same for the AF1300. I don't have any direct experience with Stren feeders but those I have talked with who do seem to have quite a few problems.
An added advantage to feeding is that you can get rapid growth from your catfish . . . anywhere from a 3:1 to 2:1 conversion rate. With five acres, you will have fish coming out of your ears and may have to open a catering business or something. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
You can always hand feed as well. Don't feed any more than the fish will eat in 15 minutes, and I wouldn't recommend feeding more than 10 lbs per day (2 lbs/acre) unless your goal is maximum production.
One feeder should suffice for a five acre lake. I'm partial to Sweeney feeders, and they are available over the internet direct Sweeney pond feeders . Pricey, but the numerous AF1100's I have experience with have never clogged or quit working. Can't say the same for the AF1300. I don't have any direct experience with Stren feeders but those I have talked with who do seem to have quite a few problems.
An added advantage to feeding is that you can get rapid growth from your catfish . . . anywhere from a 3:1 to 2:1 conversion rate. With five acres, you will have fish coming out of your ears and may have to open a catering business or something. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
You can always hand feed as well. Don't feed any more than the fish will eat in 15 minutes, and I wouldn't recommend feeding more than 10 lbs per day (2 lbs/acre) unless your goal is maximum production.
HeyNow
Bronze Member
We have a three acre pond in the front of our home. We use the floating pellets from Southern States. Each evening the son and or wife feed the fish about two cups and will watch the huge bluegill and catfish come up to the edge to feed. Visitors are always excited to see what we have in our pond. Not many bass feed on the pellets.
I've learned a lot from the replies. Thanks.
I put the amur in 20 yrs ago because of dense carpet of moss and vegetation over the whole lake. Looked like you could walk over it. In late August all the moss would die and the stink was awful.
Mistakenly put in 25 amur and all moss gone in 6 weeks and only a little grows now. I figure I have 10 or 12 left and see them in May June in shallows. They are huge, up to 4'. Sometimes bump into my jon boat and it is scary.
Thanks again.
Ernie
I put the amur in 20 yrs ago because of dense carpet of moss and vegetation over the whole lake. Looked like you could walk over it. In late August all the moss would die and the stink was awful.
Mistakenly put in 25 amur and all moss gone in 6 weeks and only a little grows now. I figure I have 10 or 12 left and see them in May June in shallows. They are huge, up to 4'. Sometimes bump into my jon boat and it is scary.
Thanks again.
Ernie
vlpena
Bronze Member
The wife and I just recently bought 4+ acres that includes about a 1/2 to 3/4 acre stocked pond. We have caught a few yellow catfish and were told that bass and bream are in there too. The previous owner told us it was stocked in the last year and a half. The fish are small, but they will get bigger.
This is the first time that I've had a pond. How can I go about aerating it and clearing up the water?
This is the first time that I've had a pond. How can I go about aerating it and clearing up the water?
Larry_Van_Horn
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MarkV
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I'll second what Fishman said about the Purina Game Fish Chow. We started feeding about a month ago and the Bluegill, Bream to us Southern folks, come a running every time we walk on the dock now. We are doing it just for the enjoyment and throw about a pound a day off the dock on a 5 acre pond. It is great fun and visitors get a real kick out of it. Purina claims you can get up to a pound of fish weight gain for every two pounds of feed. Around here I am getting a 50 lbs. bag for about $11.50. To increase the fun, go buy a $10 pair of Wal-Mart fishing glasses. The polarized lenses really help you watch the feeding frenzy.
By the way, Fishman may be too modest to mention it but he is a biologist that is trained in pond management and has a management business in Texas. He's 'da man' on this subject.
MarkV
By the way, Fishman may be too modest to mention it but he is a biologist that is trained in pond management and has a management business in Texas. He's 'da man' on this subject.
MarkV
Try www.pondsolutions.com
I just bought the 1/4 HP unit for my pond and will have it instaled by Wed. I replaced the former home made system using a sump pump. I think this system will help destratify the pond better, and the electricity stays on land.
I just bought the 1/4 HP unit for my pond and will have it instaled by Wed. I replaced the former home made system using a sump pump. I think this system will help destratify the pond better, and the electricity stays on land.
fishman
Veteran Member
vlpena,
You can also try this site: Aquatic Eco-systems
I use their bottom diffuser systems and have been very pleased with them. The lockable cabinet they sell with the unit is very well made and keeps folks out that shouldn't be messing with it. In addition, it keeps the compressor dry and cool.
Weighted tubing sure makes installation a lot easier, but it does add to the expense. I only use weighted tubing, myself.
Check out Pondboss for more info as mentioned above.
Since you are in Texas, you will also find this website useful: Texas Chapter American Fisheries Society
Near the bottom is a link to a downloadable version of the Pond Management Manual. This manual is useful to anyone in the southern tier of states. We are in the process of rewriting it to make it better, but it is still very helpful.
You can also try this site: Aquatic Eco-systems
I use their bottom diffuser systems and have been very pleased with them. The lockable cabinet they sell with the unit is very well made and keeps folks out that shouldn't be messing with it. In addition, it keeps the compressor dry and cool.
Weighted tubing sure makes installation a lot easier, but it does add to the expense. I only use weighted tubing, myself.
Check out Pondboss for more info as mentioned above.
Since you are in Texas, you will also find this website useful: Texas Chapter American Fisheries Society
Near the bottom is a link to a downloadable version of the Pond Management Manual. This manual is useful to anyone in the southern tier of states. We are in the process of rewriting it to make it better, but it is still very helpful.
