Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Feeding Optimal ?'s - which one to choose

I am going to switch to Optimal. I am feeding about 2 lbs a day. I have HBG,CNBG,HSB & CC in the pond all of which are readily feeding on the current feed I am using which is the Muenster Milling 45%. It is round pellets maybe 1/8".

I am not sure which Optimal I should choose. It looks like the bass pond feed is what is recommended for the HSB, and I am not sure on the BG vs BG jr as my BG are still pretty small. Then reading I have done says a grain based feed is best for the CC?

If feeding all these different species with an automatic feeder what is the best course of action? Even if I bought different types of pellets there is no way the right fish would get the right pellets. Which one is the best choice for all the fish as a whole?

Just from my reading on here...I would feed the regular optimal if you had to pick. I have fed it and my fish love it. Not feeding it right now but hope to switch back...had to back off due to funds. But the optimal will take care of your forage base which will feed your HSB. I do not know about your CC. Maybe hand feed if you want to feed them differently...maybe they'll take to the optimal also. I do know from raising show animals for so many years that they are what they eat. Optimal is probably the most palatable and completely digestible feed on the market right now. I don't think you could go wrong with any of it.

bdog, if your bluegill are less than 3" then I'd feed the Optimal Bluegill Jr. if they are larger, or a majority of them are larger, then go with the Optimal Bluegill.

Many people (myself included) are mixing 50/50 a bag of Optimal Bass and a bag of Optimal Bluegill food in their feeders. The idea is that the size of the fish will dictate the size of a pellet that they will choose, and that will help determine what fish eats what food.

Now if we can just convince them to make a 9mm bass pellet......

We started with 2" bluegill, feeding the starter feed 5 times at 4 different feeders. After about 3 weeks the bluegill were easily eating Bluegill Jr. We have been feeding that for the past 4 weeks with great results. Bluegill are now 4-5" in length and look like little footballs. On next order of food will switch the regular Bluegill. GS and FHM are hitting feed aggressively also.

Everything that esshup said is what I do. Mix the Bluegill and Bass food at whichever ratio you feel your food is consumed at.

And he's being sly on that 9mm pellet comment. Lol.

PS I'd love to see a pond like your set up two feeders. One with Optimal Bluegill and the other with Optimal Bass and see how the fish respond.

Thanks guys. I ordered 24 bags of the Bluegill.

Wanted to post a follow up. I received my Optimal and the fish love it. I dumped one bag in the feeder and mixed it up with the feed already in there to make a transition for them. Out of curiosity I threw a handful of the Optimal out and the fish devoured it. Maybe it was my imagination but once they had a taste it seemed like they went crazy and wanted more. They sure seemed to be feeding more aggressively than I have noticed in the past.

When I am a the pond I usually throw some feed by hand have been trying to see how close to the bank I can make the fish feed. They normally stay a good way back. With the Optimal it was like they couldn't resist it and I had them right at the shore eating it closer than I have ever seen them. They sure seem to like the taste and I did not see them spit any pellets out. I feel confident that this stuff has the science behind it and is better for the fish and they like it so it is a win-win.

The Optimal has a totally different smell to it. I am not really sure what it smells like but the Muenster food I was feeding smells like dog food and the Optimal is a way different smell.

I also want to give a shout out and thanks to Dustin at Optimal who saw my thread on debating on which food to choose and sent me some samples to try. It has been a great experience dealing with them so far.

Dustin is great to work with.

If you ever go with an automatic feeder, you may find a downside to the fish coming right at the shore: Herons love it.

I've had to elevate my Texas Hunter feeders & move them right up to the water just to make it harder for the herons to get at the fish. As you say, they will chase the feed all the way to the shore, and believe me the herons take advantage!

I bet they would. I do have a TH 175 lb feeder I just like to take some out and throw it by hand when I am out there. I have not seen any Herons. My pond is a couple hundred feet from my house and we have three dogs running loose that like to keep all the birds chased away.

Great! Herons don't like dogs, especially dogs that chase them.