Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Raising Forage and Bait Raising bluegill

BioVita Starter until they are about 1.25", then go straight to 1.5 mm pellets. Feed applied with 12-h belt-feeder. It is much easier to do when late season plankton bloom is supported by a breakdown of flooded plants. You also have only one cohort going after that bloom. Under optimal conditions I can get them to 3" by 90 days post-hatch.

Thanks!!! Do you start with #0, then go to #1 and then to #2? If so, how long do you keep them at each food size? I have a clockwork belt feeder.

In a pond setting I would start with number one. That also works in a tank setting. Number 2 I would not even waste time with in a pond setting as natural forages should still be helping them along. The 1" fry will peck at the 1.5 mm just fine. Logic based in part on you will not be able to use all the smaller feed size before they grow beyond it.

Belt-feeder better than hand feeding to be sure. If possible make so feed falls down into partially shaded area with feed ring around it. The crumble will sink but the 1.5 will tend to float away from where the fish feed.

Thank you. Those things that you said are possible to do.

I know the game very well concerning feed availability and storage. If feed in good shape when purchased, excess can be stored over winter in freezer and still be good. When I make purchases of the starters, on bag of #1,two bags of #2 and five bags of 1.5. They eat less than a quarter of the #1, most of #2 and all of the 1.5 mm. Extra #1 and #2 used to make dough balls or even run through a meat grinder to make pellets big enough for adults.

I have a 10' dia, 3' deep Intex swimming pool that I have a couple thousand 1" bluegills in. I'm aerating the water (5 2"x12" air stones with a regen blower) and circulating water from the pond through the swimming pool and back out. I think I can get them to grow an inch or two before the middle of October.

I was hand feeding 2x day with Optimal #2 Starter Crumble but I'll set up the belt feeder.

You be able to get on the high side of that. I would belt-feed during most of the day then top off by hand-feeding in the evening.

Thanks!!

Any update on this?