Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Feeding Aquamax local pricing, just curious.

I may have missed it if someone else had a post like this already this year but, I was wondering what others were paying for Aquamax this year. I paid like $32 for 50 lbs of 5D06/600 last year and it is up to $35 this year. Still cheap to me when I figure my daily cost, but I was wondering what other were paying this season.

Joe,

I paid $26.00 for the last bag I bought last winter of 5D05. I was a little unhappy it was already 2 months old though.

Fuel prices are probably what is increasing the price more than anything.

Thanks Cecil, I thought I remember others had paid less, I have to look for a bigger source than the local co-op, they must not handle much fish food.

I need to order some and I'm dreading it.

Nobody around here stocks anything but 32%.

I pay 34.00 per bag for AM carnivore. Raw product prices are driving the price up. Fish meal is a big factor in pricing of the higher protein foods.

Can't get it, so no idea.

AM 600 was 36.99 last week at Souther Ag. Largemouth was 30.99. Pretty expensive I thought. I'll be looking for another source.

AM 600 - 32

AM LMB - 28

as of 3-1-11

Just picked up a bag of Am 500 this morning. $34 and some change.

Cecil, you're a lucky man being so close to the plant the Aquamax is made at....I pay $24 for 5D09 (Dense 4000), $29 for Aquamax 5D04 (400), and $38 for 5D00 and 5D01 (Fry powder and Fry crumble respectively).

500 and 600 are 34.00 here and largemouth is 27.00

Yesterday, I just paid $167 (after tax) for:
2-AM500
2-AM600
1-AM Largemouth

I'm picking up 10 bags of AM500 and 10 bags of AM600 today for $33 a bag.

I feel lucky looking at the prices you guys are paying. I buy from 2 places on island. Aquamax 2000 is $28 and $32.00. I'm sure shipping it in is not cheap!

RoadWar - I think the AM 2000 for Omnivore fish and is same as Gamefish Chow, both 32% protein although AM2000 (5D07) is one size pellet whereas Gamefish Chow is two sizes of pellets in one bag.
Here is a link to Purina's fish foods:
http://www.aquamax.purinamills.com/aquamaxfishdiets.htm

I'm going to get a bag of 5D06 any day now and will pass it on.

funny, down here GFC is 25 AM 500 is 40-45 i think

Paid $30.00 for a bag of Aquamax 5D06 just now. (600).

I ordered some 5DO3 and it's about $46.00 if I remember right.

Not sure what catfish growers in the south are using for feed but the feed is getting so high and competition so great from foreign markets some are closing their doors. The ones that are staying in business have to raise the price of their fillets, which is turning off their retail outlets such as restaurants.

http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10...NDExNDQyWj.html

Picking up 2 bags of AM600 tomorrow. Will pass along what I pay.

$33 out the door here in KC area. Price the same for 500 and 600.

AM500 $37.00 picked up today

$38 per bag in Elkhart IN.

Scott, let me know what your price is. Looks like I will need a new supplier.

Yes, it shouldn't be that much especially since we have a mill right here in Indiana. Sounds like my local Ace (China) hardware that has an unGodly markup.

AM500 $31.50

Stopping on the way home. AM600 is 31.75 and GFC is 21.00.

Mike, I'll call Bar MM Feed in Culver tomorrow.

Update:

Bar MM Feed doesn't have AM600 right now, it'll be Tuesday until they get their next shipment. They do have 400 and 500. Pricing is the same as last year. $29.60/bag of 500 (plus sales tax if applicable).

GFC - $19.75
AM 500 - $33
AM 600 - $33

AM 500 $37

$37 without tax

I'm gonna have to move! $48.75, plus tax, for 50 lbs., of AM 400 here! Actually, I'm going back to Li'l Strike and Big Strike just because of the cost difference.

How does Lil Strike and Big Strike compare as far as protein and price?

Where could I get some of it?

You dont want the big strike 32% protein too big a pellet. I sell as one of our options little stike for $19 and pay $16 for it. 36% protein and 6% fat 1/8" pellet 40 lb bag. No where near as good as Aquamax 500 but then again much cheaper. Hope that helps.

So it is around the same as GFC then?

I plan to start feeding AM 500 when they can order some for me and get it in.

Thanks

In WI it takes 2 weeks to get - why so dang long? Still waiting on the price.

Yes I think little strike is similiar in content to GFC but not the various sizes of GFC.

Timing really depends on what feed store is ordering they are not going to get you a few bags of food. They get it with other orders so it might take a few weeks to have enough other stuff for them to order. There are times also where the supply is limited as well.

Here are the tags from bags of Aquamax 500, Lil' Strike, and Big Strike.

For me, Aquamax 500 -- approx $50/50 lbs, or $1 per pound. (Edit: In fairness, if we use an average AQ-500 price of $35/50 lbs, that is about $0.70 per pound)
Lil' Strike -- Approx $20/40 lbs., or $0.50 per pound.
Big Strike -- Approx $17/40 lbs., or $0.43 per pound.

Aquamax 500





Lil' Strike


Big Strike

It'd be interesting to see just what "Animal Protein Products" are...........

It is the the stuff that is even too disgusting to put into hot dogs!

And Catmandoo chowder!!

Scott -- that may have to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis!

Things like venison nose and redhorse suckerheads probably aren't USDA approved either, but . . .

That is some good eatn'

The redhorse suckerhead soup, especially when prepared with wild rice, is not quite as thick as a chowder, but it is a great soup/stew based dish.

As a kid, I ate a lot of mojakka/kalamojakka that was made from the skeletons and remains of fish that had already been pretty well picked over.

Today, in the US, only a few of us crazies still eat this stuff -- but it sure is a lot more appetizing to me than Aquamax or Big Strike.

Found a new local feed mill that will get AM 500 for about $34 compared to the $38 I was paying at another feed store. Even better when I walked in and stood at the counter guess what pond management magazine was lying there among the farm publications for the customers to see?

I do contract work at Omega Protein, a very large provider of fish meal and can tell you this, the price of fish meal has gone up considerably in the last two years.
The boats and planes that go out for the Pogie fish have had their fuel bills triple, just like everyone else.
So far, this looks like a pretty good year for fishing as the boats are coming in full, verses several years ago when fishing was poor.
Corporate is squeezing the plants to be as efficient as ever, as the costs to run the plants are becoming very high.
No different then any other facet of our lives, prices are going up for all the reasons that we know are true, yet our government tells us inflation is in check, sure.

I wonder why the Strike products don't say Fish meal if it is in there. Anyone know if they use fish meal ?

Bob Lusk spent a weekend of teaching/tutoring in our neighborhood earlier this year. During a visit to a neighboring farm he asked if we knew how to read the label on a bag of fish feed. We all admitted that we didn't really know what it truly meant. Like me, this other farm used Lil' Strike as their primary feed. It is what most of us use due to availability, and especially since it is about half the cost of Aquamax in our local area -- if we can get the local dealers to even order it for us.

I don't want to be wrong, or mis-construe what Bob said, but I believe that he said that we probably could not exceed bluegill weights above 1-1/2 pounds on Lil' Strike, while we probably could achieve bluegill above 2 lbs, possibly 3 lbs. on Aquamax.

I'd love to have a regular supplier of Aquamax. We have four supposed dealers in our local area. Two are Tractor Supply stores -- they apparently are not allowed to sell Aquamax due to some kind of contractual/territorial issues. We have two other independent feed stores within 50 miles of me who sell Purina products. As I've posted above, Aquamax cost me over $50 per 50 lb. bag. That dealer is about 40 miles away. The other Purina dealer, about 30 miles away, simply won't talk to me when I ask about Aquamax. I've been at the front counter at this dealer, and when I ask about it, they say they know nothing about Aquamax. My e-mails and phone messages have gone unanswered from this dealer.

It would be great if Pond Boss could put pressure on Purina to better distribute fish feed across the lower-48.

Dang Cat, I can get any AM product I want in about 2-3 weeks, and I'm way out here in the Pacific!

Ken, have you tried calling Purina themselves and expressing your plight?

I talked to the Purina Reps at the Conference. The Dealer has to order what they think they can sell. Purina just doesn't push the product out there.

Cat you are paying way too much. Check for alternatives.

That is disturbing. I lived in Wahiawa a very long time ago. I was one of the few haoles who broke into the Filipino neighborhood on Ohia Street. I was happy to just get Portuguese sausage and rice for breakfast, and lumpia for lunch. Mainland products were rare and a real luxury to find in the local businesses. We had to go to Arakowa's in Waipahu to get mainland tools and agriculture products. Where you live was basically off-limits because it was the local water supply. It was very dense jungle. Now and then I'd find my way to the water's edge. It was filled with millions of big tilapia.



Scott -- the last time I seriously talked to anyone from Purina about this, it was Mark Griffin. He basically referred me to their website. He left shortly after that.



I too have talked to Purina reps at the last two conferences. I think of it as being similar to where I work. I work for a company with 125,000 world-wide employees. At my level, with more 40 years in this business, and with a multi-million dollar annual income for the company, I'm not even a dot on the earnings charts. I have six levels of management above me! The top five levels have no idea what I do. They have no appreciation for the importance of what my team does, nor even how much profit I bring them. They just always want more money. Our CEO got $37 million last year. I'm guessing that Purina is a lot like where I work.



Eric -- you are absolutely right. I have some Aquamax left, but, I've gone back to Lil' Strike. I'd love to get Aquamax, for its quality and because Purina has been such a great supporter of Pond Boss. But, it is just too much of a hassle to get it ordered, to get it picked up on time, and it is way too expensive.

Ken, the next time you are going thru the area, let me know and I'll make sure that I have all that you want.

Ken I’m not here to slam Purina. They have a great product. However Bob knows all too well my frustration. I have to find my client a local dealer then they go thru what you are going through. I’m done with it. It makes me look bad. We have sent multiple emails to somewhat higher ups in Purina. Their businesses plans are not changing you have to go through a dealer. I cannot be a dealer unless I get 8 tons at a time. Even then LMB pellets are special order.
So I have spoke with Silver Cup and Zeigler they both have some great food. I can get 3 tons shipped to me at good pricing. I can also lineup sales of about 40 bags at a time to clients where freight will not kill you. Ton quantities even better. Ken if you can pull your neighbors this might be an option for you. If interested let me know what product you like. I have a couple of options similar to (possibly better than) aquamax 500.

$37 for a 50# bag in Xenia, Ohio.

they do not keep it in stock but can order a single bag for 36.99 of the aquamax 500 in ocean springs,ms

Aquamax 500 - $39.95 per bag
Aquamax Largemouth 40.95 per bag

In Central Wisconsin

Greg -- thank you from multiple angles. I too, am not here to slam Purina. They provide a good product. They are a good sponsor.

Somehow, I've gotten distracted, and I'd forgotten about Silver Cup and Ziegler. Through the West Virginia Aquaculture Association, the West Virginia University Aquaculture research programs, and the West Virgina Aquaculture Extension Service, I believe I may have a way to piggy-back onto large orders through Ziegler. It is what my research friends seem to prefer for their fish.

Now for my rant:

As I mentioned in my post above, it is sometimes difficult to work for a big corporation. As senior management staff, with 40 years of experience, I still have six layers of higher management above me. I'll never figure it out. Many are giddy young people, 30 years younger than me. They are far senior to me, making 5-10 times my salary, and making really stupid business decisions that didn't work 40 years ago when I entered this industry -- and this group won't listen any better than their predecessors. My organization has been re-organized six times in the last two years by people I've never met. I've seen my boss, who is 3000 miles away, twice in the last year.

I feel Purina is in the same parallel universe. Where I work, we put stock holders and our several hundred vice presidents about fifty levels above customers and employees.

My little group still develops and produces very important products that have no viable competition. We are very profitable. We can't design and manufacture fast enough. Yet, my upper management wants to kill us because we only do about $50 million a year!

I'm afraid that our Purina Aquamax friends are in a very similar situation to mine.

End of rant.

Ken

Just so you know the call has gone out to Purina. We will try this from a different angle.

I'm using Ziegler gold now which is what the tiger trout were fed at the 2 different places that raise them up here, and appears to be a first rate product, plus my trout seem to get the majority of their nutrition from natural forage.

The local Agway here carries it and I don't have to drive 45 miles to the closest Purina dealer.
http://www.zeiglerfeed.com/product_literature/aquaculture%20literature_finfish/Finfish%20G.pdf

Yes AP that is product Im looking to carry. Glad you like it.

IM hopeful Purina will allow drop ship at some point so more folks can use thier products. In the mean time I will be getting large quantities of other prodcuts to help satisfy needs of my clients. Currently waiting three weeks on AQMX LMB

3 weeks for a customer to get a product? That's no way to run a business.

I know I am one of the customers debating on switching over to AM but if the wait time is an issue on top of the price difference it makes me wonder if I want to change or not.

I of course will use what I can as I do not want to stop feeding but not sure why the wait time.

Thanks

Eric,

That is good. It would be good for some influencial people at Purina to see this thread. For a long time I thought it was only me having issues. I would truly like to support Purina and use their products. I know that Bob has been very involved in making their products better, and, as far as I can tell, they have been big supporters of Pond Boss.

Ken

My wait time is between 0 and 7 days.

I've got to plan 2 weeks ahead in order to get AM. Any garden-variety, newly minted MBA graduate could come up with a gameplan for Purina to do better than that. I thought the rest of you in other parts of the country could get it better/faster/cheaper than I could but evidently my plight is the norm. Bottom line, Purina is not meeting customer demand for its AquaMax product and the company is driving consumers to its competitors. This is borderline corporate arrogance. If another high protein, fish meal based product was readily available to me I'd switch in a heartbeat.

WOW..
My hometown feed store, (not a co-op, or chain store, a mom and pop operation), doesn't carry AM in stock, but if I get my order in by Friday, it's there the following Wednesday like clockwork.
When I asked them, they said Purina delivers every Wed, if you want one bag or 10 we can get it for you.

I had them do some checking, and all varieties of AM were in stock at whatever warehouse they use.

Interestingly enough, they said they order more AM 2000 than anything else. I figured most folks must be feeding catfish?

My wait time is the second Friday after I order, no later than a Wednesday, if that makes any sense.

But the feed store is able to order just one bag at a time.

So if I ordered this morning,June 15th, before 9 am, I could get the AM on friday the 24th, after 3 pm.

Mine is next day.. Also I never have to wait they pre-order mine to come in monthly so it's there when I get there every month.. I still call couple days before just to make sure, so far smooth as can be..

I think the main thing is do the suppliers of the feed store you use actually keep it in stock, if so then they ship every week. If not then it is a special order and we are then talking 2-3 weeks.

Mine is a special order, they are Purina dealers, but do not carry AM. They will special order though.

And I agree, someone in senior mgt from Purina really needs to see this thread. AM is very hard to get.

I also have to special order AM500,but they get(local feed store) a delivery I believe every two weeks. They carry on hand Game Fish CHOW,that I use,also. Price of AM500,today was $36.23 less $10.00 with my coupon taken out of PB Mag.

I know 600 is cheaper than 500 by a couple bucks here i wanna say $28 a bag..

I stopped at the feed store on Tuesday. I wanted 4 bags of 600, but they only had 2. They said they'd have the other 2 on Monday, Tuesday at the latest for me. $29.49/bag w/o tax.

Heres an update...Been two weeks on order of 2 tons of AM 600 and 30 bags of lmb. They said not sure they have to wait until they need a big order and might be another two weeks. If someone else made the bigger pellets I would for sure go eleswhere no matter the cost.

Greg, would it help if I ask my supplier about the LMB?

No it us all about freight. It will do not good unless local source has it. Thx

Well the Feed Store just let me know my AM 600 was in on Friday which was much sooner than expected.

I will have to try it out and let you know how my feeder works with it.


The cost was $33.

Ok put the AM 600 in and it works, so I am happy, would prefer to have the 500 but they can not get it without going to another supplier and the shipping would be way to high to mess with for me.

Plus since 600 works I am happy and the fish are eating it ok.

Just wanted to post an update.

Ordered some more yesterday since it takes a while to get the food in.

The feedstore does keep in stock AM Large Mouth since some guy here in town buys 20 bags at a time.

Thanks

My fish are in their spring-time feeding frenzies. My food from last winter is less than optimal, so I went into town to get fresh Purina Game Fish Chow and Aquamax 400 or 500.

Tractor Supply, at least in this area, has now quit carrying Game Fish Chow and Aquamax. They still have Catfish Chow. I stopped in three TSCs, and they all told me the same thing. The people I talked to in my local store are very dedicated employees who could only apologize -- actually, in this local store, three of the employees were really upset to find out they wouldn't be able to buy it in their own store!

After a lot of calling around, I finally found a feed store, Clearbrook Feeds north of Winchester VA, that stocks Game Fish Chow, and several Aquamax sizes.

As opposed to the more-than-2X gouging I got last year when I ordered from another Purina Dealer about 50 miles from me, these people are at least charging reasonable prices.

I love the Purina fish feeds. I just wish they could get a good local supply in place for our area.

I live in Lincoln, NE, which has over a quarter million people. I have ZERO options when it comes to Aquamax. No product. No sizes. No nothing. It's frustrating. So I have to go to Crete, which is a half hour drive for me. After factoring in gas, and the fact that I'm probably buying only a few bags, it works out to be like $2/lb. Frustrating enough to consider changing to a new product. I have eight grow out cages, and I'm going to be doing a side-by-side comparison of Aquamax to other feeds. Silver Cup will be sending me some feed. Any suggestions on other feed products to try in my study?

I haven't been on here for a spell but glad to see this thread moved a little. I just ordered 100 lbs of 5D06 (600 grower) and was told $33 per 50 lb bag. Which is less than I paid last year from a different place.

This is the year of the 16 inch perch from my pond...

Wish I new the brands carried at tractor supply, rural king, or buchiett doubt you even have any of them stores down by you..

First part of that post is very frustrating especially for someone with your needs..

But really interested in your results.. Please keep us informed..

Bought 2 bags of AM600 last week. $36.39/bag + tax at a local feed store. Local Tractor Supply doesn't carry it.

Ranch county feed store with high volume customers ...
AQMX 600, $28.00-$30.00 per bag - don't know why cost varies - probably delivery costs.

Yeah I found a spot for 30 bucks a 50 pound bag, but I actually got a bag at the local TSC for 43 bucks! Kind of pricey but they had it so I got it!!! It's not easy to find this food without ordering it. You should be able to get it from 30 to 45 bucks I would think. The highest I have seen it is 49 bucks.

I just wish I could it fresher than 2 months old.

I just bought 5D03, $43.60 for a 50 lb bag here in central Louisiana, had to be ordered.

How does one figure out the date when looking at the tag?

It should be printed on the bag. I'll take a picture when I get home if you haven't figured it out by then.

I just paid $51 FOR A BAG HERE IN pa.... ITS CRAZY.

$35.95 for AM 600, didn't carry the 500.