2017 good discussion of fish feed centered around Sportsmen's Choice Trophy Fish Feed. Is the higher quality feed worth paying extra for?
http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=461565&#Post461565

See this recent Feb 2022 good information.

Numerous previous discussions here have dealt with fish feeding. Using the forum search feature or search engine will provide lots of discussion about pond fish fish feeding. try Pond Boss Forum fish feeding also look up fish feeding ring

For newbees and those first starting pellet feeding and especially if they do not have a dock, I suggest they build a feeding ring. An easy ring is either 1" to 1.25" black poly plastic pipe made into a circle similar to a hula hoop with 3+ft in dia. A hula-hoop could work but the diameter is a little small. Another thing that I have used is 1" dia thin wall PVC pipe formed into a square or rectangle. A 10 ft pvc will make a 2x4ft rectangle. Use any shape to contain the pellets so they do not float to shore uneaten and decay to release wasted excess nutrients. Good fish food is not cheap do not waste it. The ring holds pellets in one spot, and if uneaten the pellets will soften and still be readily accessible, and then even small fish can eat a large softened pellet. For pellets held offshore fish will eventually find and learn the feeding area. Minnows usually find the pellets first and they attract the larger fish who may or may not eat pellets. IMO feeding rings should have a wind baffle. Feeding larger fish and wind waves will splash lots or most of the pellets out of the ring. A wind baffle is some sort of plastic sheeting 6" to 8" wide and the length of the circumference of the feeding ring. Wire tie this to the inside of the feeding ring. Tether or anchor the ring off shore to a spot hand tossed pellets will land in the ring.

I ALWAYS use a high protein food with at least 40% protein for best fish growth results. You want your fish to grow which is why you are feeding them. IMO all fish species will benefit from this high protein food. Also the better the quality of ingredients in the food the more digestible it is and less waste in the water - very important for maintaining water quality. Very good brand names are Purina AquaMax and SportFish(has multisize pellets), Zeigler, Skretting and to your door delivered Optimal brand of pellets. Start with the food where you buy your fish because those fish are hopefully used to eating the brand and size of pellet.

Place the feeding ring somewhere convenient. Unless that area is a people swimming area. I suggest feeding in an area away from or adjacent to the beech. BG tend to stay away from the bass the same as rabbits tend to stay away from foxes. BG & LMB will gather together at feeding periods although unless LMB are pellet trained the bass will be there to eat the small "rabbits".

General rule is place as much food in the ring as the fish will eat in 10 -15 minutes or less. Wild LMB very rarely will eat pellets unless specially trained to do it. 400 adult BG when adapted to pellets will eat around 3-6 pellets each depending on size of the pellet. Purina Sportfish has 3 pellet sizes in the bag. .Adult BG will eat a 1/4" pellet. Google Pond boss forum pellet optimum size

Fish will tell you when they are full because their feeding aggressiveness will noticeably decrease as they get full. Note you do not need to feed to satiation unless you are trying to achieve optimum growth rates. When I feed I have a set amount to feed each day. I add the pellets as they are eaten. Often the fish will eat more if I keep adding food although I feed the allotted amount. Experiment to what works for your pond and number of fish. Obviously more fish will eat more food.

For shiners I would add the powdered food in and around the feeding ring. Or just toss it from shore in another location where you see the shiner fry congregated.. They will eventually find it. You can build a PVC pole with a small container on the end. Then use that to place the ground food in the ring before or after the other fish have fed. Some will want to feed the fry in a different area. My minnows feed among the perch and big turtle. Adult shiners will feed among all the other fish.
Fish will eat what ever suits them and is available.

As I looked back into our Forum Heading of Common Pond Q& A in the Archives here is all you would want to know and more about feeding your fish. Enjoy.
https://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=400215#Post400215

Last edited by Bill Cody; 02/11/22 12:10 PM.

aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine -
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