MikeC - pumpkinseeds will train to dry food, but it takes some effort. Best way I found is to first get them to eating some form of natural food. I usually use chopped worms or pieces of shrimp - raw or uncooked. I've also used crayfish tails with good success. Natural foods in small amounts can be frozen in water (ice cube trays or similar sm container) and thawed for feeding sessions. Next step is to soften high protein fish pellets. See my article in May-Jun 2008 Pond Boss mag (The Softer Side of Feeding fish). Mix bits of natural food with soft pellets as they are rolled or molded. Gradually decreasing the amounts of natural food bits. Soon fish will be eating 100% soft pellets. Then gradually reduce amount of moisture. Forum members should be willing to sell you small amounts (1 cup to 1 qt) of some small sized high protein Aquamax such as 1/16" (50% protein) or 3/32" (45% pro) which work very good for me when softened for initial feed training. I plan to put a short article together soon about this method for PB mag.
adirondack pond - try some of the smaller sized Aquamax such as 5D03 1/16" or 5D04 3/32" for pumpkinseeds. Forum members with this food should be willing to send you some instead of your having to buy a whole 50 lb bag.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 12/30/08 09:28 PM.
