Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Feeding Optimal Bluegill fish food

any updates on fish size?

With the cool temps here, I don't have anything further to report. (Well, the 30-40 mph winds did blow the cage with the Optimal HBG into the pier, and it tore part of the mesh loose from the cage. I don't know how many are now swimming around in the pond... )

I have seven YOY RES in my aquarium that have been converted over to eating Optimal in a "crumble" form. I made them go cold turkey on the blood worms and night crawlers that I was feeding them, they gave me "the fin" for a solid week and they still act like they despise but their attitude is improving.

Sorry to hear that Scott. Been there done that with ice and dropping a fish into the pond when removing them from the cage. I've finally come to the conclusion that if I don't want fish from a cage in a pond, the cage has to be in another pond.

Man I hate it when they give you the "fin!" Makes you think that you abused them or something. My one and only GSF was accidentally caught this summer...he gave me both fins when I turned him back! He was one pissed off fish!

"The Fin" needs to be archived in the classics

That's why I use my pond as a test bed. I don't have clients mad at me that way for screwing up their pond. They'll have to swim fast to avoid the LMB.

You just think the wind blew the cage into the pier. Never underestimate the determination of HBG.

Still feeding Optimal about 6sec once a day from two feeders.Colder temps in North Mississippi so kinda expect activity to slow down more and more over next two weeks...

So far been happy with dispersion from TH feeders and aggressiveness.

Just an FYI, I have been trying the Optimal feed in my cheap Moultrie Feedcaster 30 gallon feeder and it works very well. I struggled with the feeder plugging with Aquamax 600, but so far it seems to handle Optimal much better. In fact, it seems to throw it farther and easier.

That is good to know.

I tested some larger fish food pellets today in the TH feeder. Approximately 9.5mm, actual size was running from .375" to .490"

The TH feeder threw the pellets without any further adjustment. Another piece to the puzzle of the Carnivore food.

Trying to figure out the largest pellet that the TH feeder can reliably throw without any irreversible changes required to it.

My Moultrie struggled with AMax 600 during periods of high humidity. So I suppose the TH may have similar issues with the carnivore food if you push the limits of size too much. 9.5mm seems HUGE. That would be awesome.

Definition of irreversible?

Something that doesn't require a reciprocating saw, hole saw or tin snips to adjust.

Things that probably 50% of the pond owners don't want to do, or can't do.

If it requires some adjusting or changing out of the spin plate, or something easy like that, then it's no big deal.

I'm wondering how waterproof the Optimal bags are. I'm headed to place in a few hours and it'll be raining all the way by the looks of the forecast. I guess I could put the bags in trash bags.

I'm guessing they're more waterproof than most feedbags, but I'd cover them up.

Would anyone be willing to post the tag for this feed? I am wondering what the protein and fat content is. Thanks

Just curious if anybody else had ordered optimal from the optimal website? I ordered two bags a couple days ago and have never received any conformation of my order or shipping. Is this normal or should I be trying to contact someone through the website?

ozarkfisher...I carry optimal and will be in Little Rock/Keo tomorrow as part of a run delivering Optimal, Texas Hunter feeders and some fishies.

NEDOC, TH feeders do not suffer the humidity problems of creating sticky food on the spinner plates that "deer" feeders will always have. Deer feeders leave pellets exposed to morning fog on the pond where TH Feeders have the feed/spinner plate recessed deeply into a dead air cavity so high humidity/fog is almost a non issue entirely. Plus, the blower unit on TH feeders run after pellets are stopped from dropping to clear almost all residual feed in the chute.

Rainman, Thanks for the offer If I was in town I would probably meet you. I actually just received a confirmation of my order through my email. I was just beginning to get worried since I had not heard of anyone else ordering straight from optimal's website.

I was in the same situation. Contacted them today via their website to inquire about lack of order confirmation, order status and shipping/delivery details. Within an hour I received an order confirmation, but no order update or delivery information.

Same here, I ordered a bag from the Optimal website, got a confirmation of the order but that's all, no scheduled delivery or tracking number. After a week of nothing I went back to the site and found no phone number there. Emailed a few times the next week and still no response. Finally got an email on the day the order arrived, over 3wks from day I placed the order. I'll be ordering from elsewhere, next time. No excuse for poor communication with the customer.

Hey guys sorry to here that .. Making new warehouses to help with shipping ..so maybe something happened .. But can Lponds and ozarks private message me so I can fix and then correct the issue ..
Matt Rayl with Optimal