Pond Boss Forums AERATION Should I aerate? When should I start back up?

I was standing on the dock yesterday and was greeted by a large group of BG's .... They looked hungry so I threw a small amount of fish food in the water, turned out to be a frenzy!

When is a good time to start my aeration back up and start feeding regularly? Any danger in starting both?

Doohan:

WRT aeration, take a look at the recent (March 2006) posts in When to Quit where we have been discussing this matter. My water temps have been inching up despite the cold nights and are just passed 50 deg F at the surface. I think it's time for me to move the airstone back to deep water for the warm months. It's likely a good time for you to restart as well.

If your BG are starting to eat, I'd start feeding again. Just keep an eye on how much they consume to prevent having wasted feed lowering water quality rather than putting weight on the fish.

Thanks... I read up and am running mine a few hours from noon till 4pm. I will do this for the next few weeks, then I will open it up.

Fish are feeding well.. crappie are biting good too.

I probably should have moved my airstone back to deep water this weekend, but I screwed up my back hauling firewood and really don't want to think about getting in/out of the canoe. It's supposed to be cold at night and even snow some this week - hopefully next weekend will be OK.

Doohan - In colder water below 55F feed your bgill only once or twice a week and do not over feed. Feed enough that each gets a few pellets. Some fish raisers have reported fish deaths by feeding fish dry food early in spring before water temps are 60F. Theory is that the food does not digest well or properly in stomach at cold temps. Food then starts to decompose in the gut and causes problems for fish.

Thanks for the update guys.

Aerator is off for this week.. I hope the sun and warmer temps return soon!

I will watch feeding the BG's... These darn fish are growing on me! They dont look much like dinner anymore.. more like pets! LOL!

Only on Pond Boss can you get such informational gems.

Another gem. I feed moistened - softened food during cold water temps and even during ice cover. I have never observed any fish deaths from it. Many of thess fish are in a cage, thus deaths would be obvious.