This has been covered here and there with several posts, but need some help from those of you experienced with alternative feeds and your assessment of their performance.

Specifically, I am looking for a pellet which will result in growth for YP, HSB, and SMB. Cargill, Skretting, Silver Cup, Ziegler, who am I missing?

If you have experience with any of these, would you mind relating it's performance, pellet sizes available, cost and availability [sources] and shipping fees?

Thanks in advance for your help - I need a new feed source for the Spring. I'd like to be done with Purina as soon as I run through it all.

TJ, I've got some of Scott's BG feed in the feeder. I bought a few bags to test.
Looks like the YP are taking it. I haven't really seen any results. 1/2 bag with a really low rate (2 seconds a day)
I guess this is just a FYI, as it really isn't any help to you. Sorry about that.

OK, just spent an hour on the phone with Skretting rep, formerly Silver Cup manufacturers, and am trying to determine the best overall feed for BG, SMB/LMB, HSB, YP. Pricing seemed pretty reasonable and shipping wasn't bad, either. I will keep you all in the loop regarding what I learn - might be helpful for others in my position.

Jeff thanks - I am sold on Optimal as a BG feed. I just want something specifically designed for my YP and SMB - I'm looking hard at the trout diets, but am no scientist so can't really interpret protein/fat/carb content and how that extrapolates into fish growth/health. I need help with that, in a big way.

just mix them all together...LOL

My primary concern is I don't want the YP eating a BG feed if it's not doing them any good. Like feeding Game Fish Chow to a YP or SMB...there's no benefit. I would prefer feeding a BG a pellet that's overkill but still providing good growth than feeding a YP a useless pellet, if that makes sense. I'm looking for a top shelf option that covers everything, even if it's more than some fish need, but to which they will still respond well.

Someone recommended Optimal BG for growing big BG. Anyone have a source in the Houston area?

Send Esshup here on the forum a private message and he should be able to hook you up.

TJ,

The archives say 40%+ pellets for SMB. I can find nothing on YP but IIRC, Cecil and Bill C. raise YP and "occasionally" grow a nice one. I know they pellet feed and I suspect it is also a 40%+ chow but I don't want to speak for them. The new Optima food for BG is also I believe 40%+. IMO it seems the wild card in your mix is the HSB which I read recently only require a chow somewhere in the 30%+ range. I also suspect folks feed them 40%+ chow all the time and they just don't metabolize the parts their bodies don't need.

My 2 cents, I would consider the new multi-size Optima I read is coming to the market soon. Hopefully, Scott will provide some guidance on this.

Edit: Nice talking to you today, even if it was an accident! LOL. I am not paying for the fertilizer by the way!

i would love to try anything that would be better for my bg. tj, i know you are very thorough in your research, why are you wanting to get away from aquamax? i remember reading where some of you all had trouble getting aquamax this year, is that the issue? my supplier in ga (i'm in alabama, but right on the state line) has had plenty all year.

I won't have any qualms feeding the optimal feed to all my species including trout. The only issue I have is I would prefer it's a pellet. I see the longer pieces potentially harder to swallow.

Aquamax IMO and that of others has cheapened their larger AM pellets - 500 & 600. They no longer smell like fish and I think they contain more grain. These larger pellets are supposedly not made anymore in the Richmond,IN feed mill owned by Purina. Mfg has been contracted to Rangen Feeds. My perch did not perform well this summer on the new AM600.

I am planning to switch my feed for yellow perch to Zeigler. Zeigler makes a special feed for yellow perch. Some of the best YP production growers in Ohio have switched to Zeigler feed.

Zeigler Perch Diet: 45%protein-12%fat A highly digestible diet for yellow perch and other members of the perch, pike and walleye families, this diet provides essential nutrients for proper development of temperate and cool-water carnivorous species.

http://www.zeiglerfeed.com/product_liter...Information.pdf

So Bill,

If you could only feed one pellet to all the species TJ specified, what would it be?

I am probably going to feed the skreeting 48% in all my feeders. Crossing my fingers it will fit since it is about double the pellet size of the aquamax 600.

Bill

Thanks for your feedback.

Two questions for you:

1. If I feed the Perch 45-12 formula to my YP/BG pond, do you think the BG would benefit/grow from this formula?

2. Of the Ziegler or Skretting feeds, is there one you could recommend as an all around good choice for SMB, YP, HSB, BG?

Optimal has good results on BG - it's designed specifically for BG. I recommend using it - PM Esshup

I feed Optimal to my BG, and will continue to as I want to support Matt and Scott and believe in the product, but I would like to use something specifically designed to benefit my other species - that's what I'm on the hunt for.

Hey Scott - I've posted a few of my observations regarding the new Rangen "Aqua Max". My fish don't like it, and it's formulated differently, and cost actually increased significantly for me this year. All those things spell time for a change - I want to use the best pellet available for my fish - I have very specific goals and that's a very important tool to get me there.

Bill

Can you post your results feeding YP Optimal vs AquaMax?

As far as I can tell, most fish farms in MI went to Ziegler feeds.

Nelson's had some specific diets like WE grower, but they sold out to SK and they eliminated quite a bit of their work. Gone forever!!!

There is a lot of change in info on fish nutrition and sources of product.

TJ, wait 'till next year. There may be an Optimal food that will be blended to target the carnivore fish in your pond, and of a pellet size that will minimize BG/sunfish from eating it, but still allow it to be thrown by a Texas Hunter feeder.

If it's around, it will certainly get a look. In the meantime, I need to try and find something that's available for next Spring. There are so many types of pellet made by Skretting, it's frankly overwhelming to differentiate them and know what's best. Trout foods, bass foods, anywhere from 48-40 protein and 12-20 fat. Highest protein is not always the answer, much more complex than just choosing the highest protein number, micro nutrients, vitamins, etc.

TJ,

When you talked to the Skretting rep did he/she say all those formulations are available for order? When I talked to the factory in Nevada several months back they told me they only keep a couple formulations on hand. If you wanted one of the other ones there was either a 4 ton or 4 thousand pound minimum, can't remember which.

Working with Skretting and Zeigler, learning lots.

Holding out hope that Optimal will develop a YP and "carnivore/bass" larger pellet this Spring. If they do, my feed problems will be solved. Just spent time with Matt and Scott in Indiana last weekend, exciting things going on.

I can't wait to hear more about Optimal's new carnivore formula. That'll be interesting.

X2!

X3

New pond owner and switched from Aquamax to Optimal about a month ago.Through 6 bags and my BG love it.Will get a pallet in the spring