Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Holy Moly - Aquamax Largemouth!!

I just picked up my bag of Aquamax Largemouth feed at lunch today. The pellets are HUGE!! Dang, I was not expecting that big. I can't wait to get home and try to get my SMB, LMB and HSB feeding on it tonight.

Does anyone else here have any experience with it? Cecil, how are your LMB doing on it?

What was the price? Or, should I ask?

Would my HSB eat it? Maybe you should bring some to the Denton meeting.

Dave, it was 27$ for a 50lb (or maybe it was 40lb, not sure) bag. I imagine most places it runs a bit more.

Bruce, I'm already planning on it. Which size of HSB are you talking about? If you are talking about the little ones, no way. But I assume you are talking about your HSB in the larger pond. I will let you know how mine feed. Yours seem to be a few pounds larger, so they should if mine do. These pellets aren't much smaller than a golf ball. Two of them would fill me up.

We'll feed some to both the big ones and the little ones. I'll bet the little ones will bat it around like a beach ball. You'll see.

It will be fun to watch those little guys work at it. But those little guys would probably eat anything thrown in there. Maybe we should throw Shorty in and see if they peck away at him.

Let me know if you want me to run the seine up there. Or I can just bring it up around noon on Wednesday. It has been being put to good use lately.

Shorty has a pitch fork.

What % protien is it? Have you fed it yet?

IIRC 46% protein.

I fed some last night. A few of the HSB came up and took a good look (swipe) at it but seemed a bit scared of them. The BG pecked at the pellets and one big ole catfish (name: Whiskers) ate a couple dozen of them. I think he was pretty happy that the HSB and LMB haven't figured out how to eat them yet.

...stupid ? from the fish neophyte:
These things are buoyant and nearly the size of golf balls. If Whiskers eats too many, will he have difficulty diving?
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special warning to Shorty: make sure you wear underwear

The pellets actually sink pretty quickly after thrown in the water (compared to other pellets). But he may have diffuculty diving after he eats too many and finds himself in the frying pan.

My largemouth like it but they too orginally looked at it like "What the hell is that?!" The little bgs seem to like it the best as they head butt it and it crumbles a little and they go to town on it.

Cecil, while I have been trying to train them to eat the larger pellets I have also been feeding them AquaMax 600. They seem to prefer the 600 and ignore the Largemouth pellets. Do you think I should quit feeding the 600 while I am trying to train them on the larger pellets? Any thoughts? How long did it take your bass to try the larger pellets?

Strange observation you guys may be able to comment on....

Oddly, with the Aquamax LM my HSB come up and eat them MUCH slower than they eat the Aquamax 600. They almost take it like BG when they take a pellet. I noticed the SMB take it slower as well. Maybe it is because they are just getting used to the larger pellets, but they really seem to 'study' them before they eat. Usually they 'attack' the pellets. But with these, they slurp them in. I thought this was rather odd.

Hi NEDOC:

Is the Aquamax Largemouth a Purina Mills product? I called a local supplier and they never heard of it (which doesn't mean much) and went on the Purina Mills website and it isn't listed. Is it something that just came out?

Is it the same as Aqua Max 600 or is it a different product?

Are you using it on non-pellet trained fish?

I'd like to get some and try it out.

Thanks in advance for you help.

Bill

Yes, it's Purina. No, it's (46% protein) not the same as Aquamax 600 (40% protein). It's new, so it's not on their website yet (which gets updated very slowly, IMHO) and most Purina dealers have never heard of it, let alone sold it yet.

I'd say your best bet is to get the Purina product number/code (4 digit alphanumeric) and see if your Purina dealer will order it; they should do so.

Anybody know the Purina Product code for AQ Largemouth?

I asked the grainery next door to order it yesterday. The guy stopped in my office today and said he was having another branch put it on their order and then ship it to him. I'm not getting my hopes up too much but a product number would be nice to verify they're ordering the right stuff.

Thanks Theo and Ryan:

I called Purina HQ the product number is 5DA1. They are faxing some info on it.

I have a 1 acre catfish and bluegill pond but I am buying about 20 F-1 largemouths 1 pound + in about 2 weeks when Overton opens back up. They are wild and not pellet trained. I was wondering if they would come to eat this stuff.

Anyone has any ideas?

Thanks,

Bill

I got a fax with promotional type stuff on the Largemouth feed from Purina, plus the ingrediants and nutritional analysis. But damn if I can get this to take an attachment or let me paste it to a post. Plus it has an extended product number more extensive than the one I posted above.

If anyone wants it email at [email protected] and I'll send it too you.

But it still doesn't answer my main question will non-pellet train adult fish take it.

Bill while it is possible to train (condition) adult LMB to take pellets it is very hard and the results are usually poor. I would guess that is the case with all pellets including the new Purina LMB pellets. They are so new that I doubt anyone has tried to do that yet.

It is my experience that any LMB might occasionally take a pellet. Mine do but I think it is instinct. However, you might be better off to look for some feed trained ones IF you want to go that route.

IF? I'm wading around in waters here that are way over my head. However, that's never stopped me and I'm bringing up a question that we have never really explored here. In a way, it is going to be about getting back to your goals. Is this stuff really a good idea for the average pond owner? I hope somebody with a knowledge of fish physiology chimes in here.

A bass doesn't need 46% protien to grow and thrive. I'm not even sure it is a good idea, if you consider long term health, to use the stuff. For example, high protien pellets cause fatty tissue buildup on the liver of a catfish. That ain't real good UNLESS your goal is to raise a cat that that will be marketable or eating size in a hurry.

How about on a bass? What will its life span be on super chow? In a pond setting, can that bass reach its genetic potential if it is turned into a feed lot fish? This stuff has all of the protien of a 3/4 pound trout and the California big bass lakes are a good testimonial to the benefits of high protien. However, those are wild fish that still have to hustle every day for a meal. I'm not suggesting that pond fish aren't wild or even litter box trained. However, they are confined in a small environment and, when on feed, are TRAINED. They don't have to hustle for a meal and I'm not sure that's real good.

When I turn sideways and look in the mirror, I see the results of eating the wrong stuff and not getting enough exercise. A fish doesn't have a Dr. or wife advising(?) it and telling it to start eating salad and to start jogging.

I'm wondering about long term implications here and don't have the answers. However, I am saying "Think about it". Do you really understand your goals and does this type of "tool" fit into those goals?

Hey Bill,
Sorry it took so long to get back to you. I will fill you in on my experience with Aquamax LM. My pond is a small .6 acre pond with perch, BG, SMB, LMB, HSB and one channel catfish. I switched from Aquamax 600 to Aquamax LM about 2 wks ago. So far my fish are very reluctant to feed on it, but they are starting more on it each evening. I do have some LMB that have apparently pellet trained themselves. As of now, I haven't seen any LMB take one of the larger pellets, but the HSB and SMB are slowly getting used to them, so I'm sure its just a matter of time before the LMB take to them. On the other hand, the channel cat began eating them the first night. I would guess in your situation the cats are going to eat them all before the LMB ever get a chance. When you do try, make sure you post to let us know how it goes.