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

The astaxanthin or beta-carotene is what gives the trout their red/pink flesh and really brightens up their colors. You can get commercial food that has that added to it, but the same trout do just as well on food that doesn't have it in it's formulation. I believe that it is just to enhance colors and flesh colors - it's not a critical "need" to have that in their diet.