Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Feeding CC still won't eat

If you remember the CC stopped eating when the manufactorer or the normal pellets I buy changed the color and size of the pellet.

I tried buying different brand of pellets and they still will not eat. I had to resort to fishing at night with chicken gizards to finally catch one to make sure they are still in there.

Is it possible that they don't like to compete with the BG for the pellets?

What size are the CC? Did the one you caught look healthy? Was he fat and sassy or did he look skinny? What time of day are you feeding? My CC were not feeding for a while but now they are feeding voraciously. They love to eat with my tilapia and BG just in case they might catch one while they are feeding on the pellets. I feed them at first light when I can barely see. This is when my water temperatures are the coolest.

I have found this Summer that I can to an extent tailor feed delivery to what species I want to have eat it.

When I used to throw a lot of feed in the pond all at once, the CC ate the majority of the feed.

This year I have been feeding much smaller amounts (about 1/4 compared with last year, even less compared to when the CC were small) multiple times a day (I try for 3 feedings on weekdays and 4 on weekends). With this delivery pattern, the larger numbers of BG get a chance to all fill their small stomachs (4 pellets each, per Condello), then the food is just about gone before the much lower numbers of CC and GC show up and really get started.

This is no big surprise and just complies with the CW on feeding BG - mutliple meals a day for small BG stomachs.

Could the quantity and frequency of your feedings be working against the CC getting a large portion?

The CC are about 16-20 inches, and I feed in the evenings after work.

The fish that I caught looked skinny compared to the way they were earlier in the year when they were feeding well.

With all this said, last night I did see a couple of CC feeding on the pellets for the first time in about 2 months. Maybe this means they are ready to start feeding again.