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Joined: Sep 2008
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I am getting a couple Pumpkinseeds from a fish guy in a couple days. I am tempted to keep some in an aquarium to try and feed train them and grow them a bit over the winter. Has anyone had luck with this?
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I haven't ever had PS, but I have feedtrained RES which have similar tastes. So has Bill Cody.
I started out with earthworms, then transitioned through freeze-dried krill to floating pellets. Switch over between stages gradually and realize your fish will have to be a little hungry to try something new each time you progress toward pellets.
Cody does terrible things to earthworms and pellets in a blender for his feedtraining and is at least as successful as I have been. Just messier.
"Live like you'll die tomorrow, but manage your grass like you'll live forever." -S. M. Stirling ![[Linked Image from i.pinimg.com]](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/ed/b5/e7/edb5e7f935843b996cf52be593c9ebd2--smoothie-smooth-collie.jpg)
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Mike, I have 5 small PS's in a 35 gallon tank. they were brought in from the pond in early nov. At first I fed them some aquamax that I had ,but they didn't show much interest. Then I gave them Tetrafin goldfish flakes and after a few days they were more aggressive in their feeding. Now when I go to feed them I hold the food can over the tank and they follow it where ever I move it. They will peck at the aquamax when I put some in, but they go crazy when I feed them the goldfish flakes. It could be that the flakes are easier to eat than the pellets cause their only 2 to 3 inches long. NANFA Dave mentioned the NCRAC. site, there's also another site NANFA. if you join their forum those guys have lots of experience keeping game fish in aquariums.
Last edited by adirondack pond; 12/30/08 09:42 AM.
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Mike, I have 5 small PS's in a 35 gallon tank. they were brought in from the pond in early nov. At first I fed them some aquamax that I had ,but they didn't show much interest. Then I gave them Tetrafin goldfish flakes and after a few days they were more aggressive in their feeding. Now when I go to feed them I hold the food can over the tank and they follow it where ever I move it. They will peck at the aquamax when I put some in, but they go crazy when I feed them the goldfish flakes. It could be that the flakes are easier to eat than the pellets cause their only 2 to 3 inches long. NANFA Dave mentioned the NCRAC. site, there's also another site NANFA. if you join their forum those guys have lots of experience keeping game fish in aquariums. Very cool site. I already have two aquariums going and would like to get a couple more. I think I found a new obsession. As if I needed one
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MikeC - pumpkinseeds will train to dry food, but it takes some effort. Best way I found is to first get them to eating some form of natural food. I usually use chopped worms or pieces of shrimp - raw or uncooked. I've also used crayfish tails with good success. Natural foods in small amounts can be frozen in water (ice cube trays or similar sm container) and thawed for feeding sessions. Next step is to soften high protein fish pellets. See my article in May-Jun 2008 Pond Boss mag (The Softer Side of Feeding fish). Mix bits of natural food with soft pellets as they are rolled or molded. Gradually decreasing the amounts of natural food bits. Soon fish will be eating 100% soft pellets. Then gradually reduce amount of moisture. Forum members should be willing to sell you small amounts (1 cup to 1 qt) of some small sized high protein Aquamax such as 1/16" (50% protein) or 3/32" (45% pro) which work very good for me when softened for initial feed training. I plan to put a short article together soon about this method for PB mag.
adirondack pond - try some of the smaller sized Aquamax such as 5D03 1/16" or 5D04 3/32" for pumpkinseeds. Forum members with this food should be willing to send you some instead of your having to buy a whole 50 lb bag.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 12/30/08 09:28 PM.
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Contact me if you need some smaller pellets. I'll send various sizes.
Cody says: Ata Boy Dr. Bruce. In addition, I and I'm sure others will also be willing to share small quantities of the small pellets.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 12/30/08 09:41 PM.
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MikeC - pumpkinseeds will train to dry food, but it takes some effort. Best way I found is to first get them to eating some form of natural food. I usually use chopped worms or pieces of shrimp - raw or uncooked. I've also used crayfish tails with good success. Natural foods in small amounts can be frozen in water (ice cube trays or similar sm container) and thawed for feeding sessions. Next step is to soften high protein fish pellets. See my article in May-Jun 2008 Pond Boss mag (The Softer Side of Feeding fish). Mix bits of natural food with soft pellets as they are rolled or molded. Gradually decreasing the amounts of natural food bits. Soon fish will be eating 100% soft pellets. Then gradually reduce amount of moisture. Forum members should be willing to sell you small amounts (1 cup to 1 qt) of some small sized high protein Aquamax such as 1/16" (50% protein) or 3/32" (45% pro) which work very good for me when softened for initial feed training. I plan to put a short article together soon about this method for PB mag.
adirondack pond - try some of the smaller sized Aquamax such as 5D03 1/16" or 5D04 3/32" for pumpkinseeds. Forum members with this food should be willing to send you some instead of your having to buy a whole 50 lb bag. Thanks Bill, I still have a small amount of 1/16 trout pellets. The PS's will eat the pellets, but they prefer the flakes, maybe cause of their size. I feed both but when the flakes run out all they'll get are pellets. Also I'm going to start pre moistening the pellets as you suggested.
Last edited by adirondack pond; 12/30/08 10:18 PM.
 
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I appreciate all of the generous offers. I am picking up the fish on friday. I am gonna try them on the pellets I have. If that doesnt work I will definitely take one of you up on your offer.
Do you think I should try sinking at first?
FYI I am getting 3-4inch pumpkinseeds
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Mike,
I was told by a couple of guys no the NANFA site they are not different in keeping than the other sunfish. I would consider hydrating the aquamax once you get them going on something more palatable. On the other hand the aquarium purists tell me the commercial feeds we use in ponds are dirtier than some of the more specialized feeds for aquariums.
Where did you get the pumpkinseeds from? Was it the Smith Creek Fish Farm?
I ask because I want to start raising them next year. I can get them from the wild but it's a hassle as I have to quarantine them with a HACCP plan and have several tested for VHS. Smith Creek already tests them for VHS. Only problem is I don't know the history of his fish genetics. I'd like them to come from a large genetic pool vs. the alternative.
Last edited by Cecil Baird1; 12/31/08 10:11 AM.
If pigs could fly bacon would be harder to come by and there would be a lot of damaged trees.
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This guy http://www.delmarvaaquatics.com/He said he has a bunch of 1 inch fish that he can ship.
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Mike,
Thanks for the contact info. I have contacted him via email. I'd like to start producing them this year and I'm a little leary of using wild local fish as it complicates things. I want to have several options to consider.
If pigs could fly bacon would be harder to come by and there would be a lot of damaged trees.
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Just got the pumpkinseeds. They are really aggresive but they are spitting out the pellets. I am gonna try wetting the pellets first.
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Just got the pumpkinseeds. They are really aggresive but they are spitting out the pellets. I am gonna try wetting the pellets first. Yes hydrating the feed will make a big difference. Don't forget to squeeze the air out of them to get them to slowly sink. I have bluegills that are so spoiled by hydrated feed they refuse to eat the hard stuff anymore.
If pigs could fly bacon would be harder to come by and there would be a lot of damaged trees.
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Mike - Try putting a small amount of mashed raw or cooked fish or shrimp in with the pellets as you soften them. Mix the fish with moist pellets and mold or kneed the pellets into small balls. Pinch off small amounts, roll into small pellets and add to the tank. Tell us if it worked.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 01/04/09 05:00 PM.
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This thread is meaningless without pics! 
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This thread is meaningless without pics! We're trying everything Ceadmin but no pics yet!
If pigs could fly bacon would be harder to come by and there would be a lot of damaged trees.
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Why does one need pics of mashed fish mixed with moist pellets and then rolled? For pics of this see Pond Boss mag 2008 May-Jun pg 45.
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I was referring to the PS, stick in the mud. :p
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I was referring to the PS, stick in the mud. :p Now be nice.
If pigs could fly bacon would be harder to come by and there would be a lot of damaged trees.
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