Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Creating the food chain Scuds vs. PK/Grass Shrimp Trout Forage

You should be able to search literature for temperature preference and tolerance for the PKS. I do know they survive okay in 39F water during winter. As I know it the 2 'species' (PKS & scuds - amphipods) do not normally occur together due to temperature preferences, although I think they could thrive in similar habitats and feed on similar materials. I have not known PKS to cause turbidity. IMO PKS thrive and develop their highest populations in vegetated locations with preferably plants having finely divided leaves. Since you are experienced with culturing scuds, grow some PKS combine some of them with various scud species in a community tank and learn what you can from everyone involved. With your property you might be able to build a small or shallow mini-pond just for PKS as trout forage. I doubt the nocturnal feature of PKS has much influence on them being good forage. In cooler trout water I wonder how well the PKS will thrive. As I know it, both scuds and PKS thrive best and would be productive and abundant enough to grow trout when the pond had ample vegetative habitat.

Is astaxanthin or beta-carotene an actual nutrition thing or is it just a coloration factor for the trout flesh?

Please keep us advised of your trout growing experiences so we all can learn from the development and progress of your exciting fishery.