Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Feeding high protein feed

My local feed store ordered Aquamax 600 (carnavore)for some people in the area and they didn't pick it up. The protein in this feed is I think 47% and I was wondering if I could feed this to my catfish and bream. The regular feed I use is the standard 32% (purina game fish chow). The store is offering it at $15.00 a bag, regular price $20.00 a bag.

Just wondering if it will help (growth potential) or hurt (too much protein). I know I ask a lot of questions on this site, but that's how you learn and maybe, just maybe in the future I can change my login name from newbee to pondmeister

Newbee - Your catfish are going to grin like the instant gremlins if you fed them the Aquamax. By the way it is 41% protein; see the tag on the bag. Great price, no it's a fantastic price if it is not older than 1 year; best if it is only 4-8 months old. See the bottom of the bag near the tag for a producion date; just as with some beer. It will not, to your inspection hurt your catfish. Catfish are not usu. fed this food because it costs more and they appear to grow the same rate with 32% or less. Most people/fish raisers esp commercial ones are only interested in cost and most bang for the buck.
Try and notice if your fish are eating this new food better or more aggressively. I 'm sure you will notice a difference. Newbee, you have an assignment, let us know what you find out after feeding Aquamax (blue bag for carnivore)for several days or weeks. If you have any bass in the pond you may find some of them will start eating it too as time goes by. The bass may have to be retrained since they tried and learned not to like the cheaper food. BC

PS. Newbee, if you get Hyb stripers you have feed them Aquamax 600. They will be really sad if you don't. Wait till you see the stripers eat the Aquamax 500 or 600 (depending on the stocked size); get your raincoat out so you won't get wet from all the splashing.

Bill, I will go to the feed store tomorrow and see if the date is within the prescribed time period. If it is I will buy all the store has and start feeding right away. I'll let you know what happens. Thanks a lot for your input and great advise.

As for the hybrid stripers I was able to find some (thanks to Mark McDonald) at a near by fish farm and have a scheduled pick up date on October, 12. I understand that these fish have to have the higher protein to thrive and so I guess instead of feeding three different feeds I'll just feed the aquamax 500 or 600 to them all.

Boy, I'm sure the extra cost will make my wife very happy. She just doesn't understand the relationship between a man and his fish. Thanks again for the help

Newbee

:p :p

newbee: be careful about buying all his old Aquamax. As the food ages, it progressively loses some of the age sensitive vitamins or nutrients. Plus it has the potential to mold. Do not feed your fish moldy food. If it gets too old and you still have lots to feed you've wasted your money if the food is losing its growth potential. I hope I wasn't too late in the post and you're sitting on 300 LB of Aquamax 600! I don't like to feed any feed older than 8-10 months old; preferably only 2-4 mo old. That is why they put manuf. date on the bag, the stuff is time sensitive.

Hey Bill, the feed store only had two bags at that price and the date was within the prescribed date (July of 2002). I did have the feed store order me some more for my Hybrid Stripers that I am waiting for.

By the way I fed the catfish the aquamax and they loved it. The feed left a film on the waters surface and that seemed to attract the fish to it. I'll let you know after a week or so feeding, but it looking promising.

ps. Do you really think that non-feed trained bass would start to eat this feed.

newbee - will the nonfeed trained bass eat broken pieces 1" to 2" long of nightcrawler? If they will yu've got it made. You can have them eattin' Aquamax 600 in one to two days with my coaching. Get back to me.

Newbee, I feed my catfish and hybrid stripers aquamax 600 and the catfish are growing fast. Also, I have never seen fatter catfish. When I clean them, they have pockets of fat in their gut and the fillets, knife and cutting board glisten in the sun. It also makes my hands greasy. I've not ever noticed it with other fish.

Bill, I will try the worm test this afternoon and I'll let you know. The catfish have really gone crazy over this feed and they are eating more of it.It look like there is no going back now.

Brian, how long have you been feeding the aquamax 600 to your fish and have you really noticed a difference in growth. AS you know by reading the above posts, I have just recently started using the aquamax. Hope the expense is worth it!!! I will be putting stripers in this fall and want to just feed on type of food.