Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Feeding What size Aquamax for 4-6" SMB?

I recently purchased (received yesterday) 60 4-6" feed trained SMB. I don't know and can't easily determine what feed they were fed; but I did confirm with ASCS office that they were feed trained. I had ordered Aquamax frye (recommended by feed supplier). I tried to feed this morning. None came up; but I was also shocked at how small the pellet size was. It made me question if that was the right size so want to double check here. What would be the correct size?

5D04.

Don't be surprised if they don't come up for a while or never. Smallmouth are the darndest fish to keep on pellets.

Congrats amigo! My 6" SMB can take 500. I suppose 400 is safest, but since it's a sinking feed I noticed most of mine ended up on the pond bottom but then my SMB weren't confined to a small area. If you are growing them out in a cage then 400 might be utilized better in a confined area competing for pellets.

Not confined. Just released into small pond with fathead minnows (and maybe grass shrimp; but haven't yet found).

I will continue to toss out the fry stuff; but also grab some of the 500 out of the feeder.

If there is ample natural feed they may ignore the pellets. On the other hand if you just planted them they may just be stressed from hauling and handling and my need a few days to get back on the pellets.

Did you get these from Keystone? I got some really nice ones from them years ago.

Local ASCS office. They have a day when order fish and trees each year. SMB was an option this time.

Fry feed is for fry (yoy to 2 in). This is yet another example of why I wish AM had a mixed bag of pellet sizes like GFC.

Hey Eric I so agree with this now that I know where your coming from. I am mixing the am 500 and 600 but I sure could use something even smaller than that it would seem. A mixed bag would be GREAT!!!

Oh your state competes with private enterprise using taxpayer dollars? I'm biting my tongue, I'm biting my tongue.

Cecil,
The local SWCD districts hosts fish and tree sales each spring, but they purchase the fish (and trees) in bulk from private hatcheries and then have a pick up day to get your order. It actually works out pretty slick. The SMB more than likely came from Fountain Bluff Fish Farm. They are feed trained and will gobble up the feed in a few weeks as temps start to rise.

Hey Nate, what size AM? I would think they could handle 500?

500 for 6" for sure. Not sure about 4". Take a fish and measure the gape it will reveal all you need to know!

I have small bluegill....well 4" or so, that hit the 500 like mad....well....had!

Fry powder or crumble is WAY too small...5D04 sinking/floating would be an excellent choice. AQ400

Last year was a bad growing year for pretty much all species of fish for fish farmers in the midwest due to the excessive heat all summer long. The SMB were no exception so most of the 4-6 inchers are closer to the 4 than the 6 inch size and they arent too fat.

I would say the aquamax 400 would be a better choice for the first bag of food, but it wont be long before they are gobbling up the 500.

No worries about the SMB going off feed, I have never had an issue of smallmouth going off feed in ponds. Even in ponds that have stocked smallies years ago and just start feed programs years later, the smallies come back.

Aquamax 400 is used by the state hatchery here in Oklahoma for fish of that size.

How much smaller is the 400 than the 500? I've never seen it. Is it half the size of 500?

3/32 I believe.

Cecil: Nate is right SWCD, not ASCS. Cost $2.50 each for 4 - 6" SMB. I didn't see them (had to work so sister picked them up and put them in for me). She was impressed with size and condition; but...

I've been tossing some mixed feed in and a few are hitting it; but not much action yet. The fry feed is definitely too small. 400 probably the right size.

Here is the AM chart.

http://aquamax.purinamills.com/aquamaxproductlist.pdf

AM 400 2.4 vs AM 500 4.8 mm

That's good to hear Nate. I'm old enough to remember when the fish in many states were raised by the state hatcheries and competed with the private sector. I hear that's still true in some states. Makes no sense to me.