Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Feeding CC and pellets

I hardly ever saw a CC the first year after stocking. My first sighting I was hand feeding and I stayed very still for probably five minutes while occasionally throwing out a little feed and watching the BG feed. Very warily I would see a CC sneak up in shallow water and take a pellet off the bottom (I was feeding a mixture of floating and sinking 32% pellets at that time.

Feeding sinking feed is pretty much a universal no-no on this forum. But if you want to get your more timid fish started on feed, mix a little sinking 32% catfish pellets (maybe 10%) and it will help in my opinion. CC do not like to naturally feed on the surface. They have to learn to do so. They are bottom feeders. Actually my BG also much prefer to eat food on the bottom or mid water also, but that is another story. Point is, my CC started feeding on the bottom on sinking pellets then quickly learned to go to the surface when they sensed the BG were feeding. Some CC were quicker to learn surface feeding than others.

The idea against sinking pellets is you can not see if it is all being consumed. That is why if I feed some sinking, I only make it a portion of the diet. I can see the feeding activity on the surface pellets. If they are eating the surface pellets, the small amount of sinking will also be eaten. If not by CC the BG and FHM will clean it up in recently stocked ponds (where there are still FHM left).

Long story long, I did not see much CC feeding on the surface till starting the second year. But they were there with the BG earlier looking for feed. Early on they are VERY wary of anything they see or sense on the bank/surface. Danger lurks there (like GBH) so if they see any movement they are GONE! Till they get used to the feeding routine. Then they get to be like pets.

Edit: I do not have problems with fish stirring up the bottom and making the water turbid. In fact, I purposely feed some sinking feed sometimes specifically so the fish will stir the bottom to keep muck from developing. But my particles settle out quickly and are not a problem. Someone that has a clay bottom with a type of clay that tends to stay suspended might not want fish feeding on the bottom and causing turbidity.