Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Building a dam Building new forage mini pond

One thing that was really surprising was that there were still FHM in the pond. Some really big adults. Did not find as many babies because I think the HSB kept them consumed, but I assume the HSB had not quite got big enough to tackle the biggest of the FHM yet. Snipe noted that they had spawned even recently because of the wear on the adult fins meaning they had been nesting. Another inch or two of length on the HSB and the FHM would have been gone. I was pleased to still see some and we transferred them out to other ponds along with the RES and HSB. The fish floating in the bucket that looks like a little shark is an adult.

I was ask what the feeding regimen was for the HSB. I had stocked FHM as early as I could get some in the spring (2 or 3# I think) and fed them fish pellets so they would grow and reproduce rapidly. By the time the HSB were introduced the pond was teaming with FHM. So that was a big part to their positive performance.

As far as commercial feed I started them out on Optimal starter (they were fed Cargill starter at the hatchery). 10# total and about half way through it when the HSB had large enough mouths mixed in Optimal Jr. Fed one 40# bag of Optimal Jr and as it dwindled down started mixing in Aquamax MVP as their mouth gape grew. The local dealer had some Aquamax 500 and that is what I finished out feeding them. The amount total? I did not keep track. about 2/3 the way through I was feeding a standard size vegetable can (like a can or corn or green beans) about 10 times a week. More later in the process and less earlier on. They fed really well except after a big rain and an influx of water or towards the end when the water was getting cold. When the water got cold it seemed they were only interested in eating commercial fish food on sunny warm days so that is the only time I fed them. I quit feeding them several days in advance of the seining.


FHM of spawning size.