Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Feeding When (size of fish) to start feeding BG

New pond stocking: I just stocked the pond today with 500 BG, 200 RES and FHM. I purchased 2-3" fish, although I would say most barely seemed to be 2". At what size do the BG start to take the feed? Given stocking today, When should I expect to start feeding?

Were they feed trained fish? If you don't know, call the supplier and ask.

To start feeding, it's best to feed in the same spot in the pond, at the same time every day. The fish DO have clocks, and will be waiting for the feed once they get accustomed to it.

You might have to walk around and find the fish when you first start. After that they will come to the sound of the pellets hitting the water.

Should I expect a BG less than 2 inches to be ready to take Feed? How quickly will a 2 inch BG grow in the first few weeks/months?

The web site indicated the LMB they sell is feed trained, but I did not see it for the BG.

I've seen BG 1" or so nibbling at pellets in a pond.

Steal your wife's coffee grinder. A quick pulse or two should make any fish food sizable to your BG or FHM.

With a new pond I suspect you won't see much feeding activity the first year if you choose to feed, I didn't. I saw mostly small FHM and GSH pushing AM 400 & 500 pellets around and none of my other fish eating pellets. I have YP, RES, and SMB. Tossing pellets would simply be competing with a lot of unexploited natural forage in your pond already. In the pellets vs. natural forage areana pellets will most likely be ignored by your newly stocked fish.

With that said, I siened some small RES out of my pond last week and put them in my shop, some of them are less than an inch in size. With nothing else to eat they are readily eating bloodworms and AM 500 that I have run through a coffee bean grinder. Even mini pellets are just too small for some of the fish I have in that tank.

In a larger tank I have 2-3" RES that I have been feeding mini pellets, bloodworms, and the larger chunks of ground up AM 500. This morning I threw in six full size AM 500 pellets and was surprised to see two of my larger RES take a couple pellets off the surface immediately.

It wouldn't hurt to get a bag of AM 400 and try feeding, but don't be surprised if they are not many takers this year.

I feed a crush feed for my forage base. I have noticed before BG probably no longer than 1" feeding. I think having feed trained minnows & crush feed helps get the BG started feed training earlier in life.