Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Feeding Conpensatory Feeding/Bill Cody-Cecil Baird

Bill and Cecil

Bob Lusk asked me to put together an article on raising big bluegill. When I put pen to paper I discovered that I had more written on compensatory feeding than I had room for in the entire article. I've been in communication with Dr. Robert Hayward of the University of Missouri to find out more about his research and have gathered some pretty choice information. I am also conducting my own research comparing growth rates of bluegill between my two lined ponds--one with compensatory feeding and one with more traditional feeding to satiation. I won't be able to control variables as well as he will but he seems interested in my data nonetheless. I plan on sharing everything I eventually learn when I have something good. It might be getting interesting by next fall.

Good Beginnings Bruce. If PBoss editor will not allow a two part article about raising trophy bgill then I know a magazine that will allow it to be printed in its complete form. This magazine also wanted a short article but I convinced them that details were important in teaching and learning how to raise fish. As a result in that magazine I wrote a three part article for them about raising yellow perch which was well received and got the magazine several new subscriptions. In my opinion more information is always better and more educational than too little information and a generalized overview.

I look forward to your creation. Thanks a lot for accepting the challenge.

Stay in touch and keep us advised of your progress.

I'd be really interested in reading the article series on yellow perch. Is there a way I can access it? What's the biggest YP you've seen raised with this methodology?

Bruce. YP at 15" last winter and growing; this winter?? Do you want a paper copy or electronic copy? I can supply one or both. Electronic will be in manuscript form and paper copy will be a photo copy of mag article. They did not supply me with reprints.

I've seen studies that showed significant increase in growth with compensatory growth and others that did not. Seems to be a toss up on who you believe.

15"--Wow

Electronic or paper is great.

4901 Happy Hollow Lane
Lincoln, NE
68516

bmcondello@bizfunctional.com

Does the article discuss maximum temperatures tolerated by YP?

Bruce - Copies will come to you both ways. Our goal is 17" YP in ponds less than one acre. Second hand information claimed it happened but I did not see the fish.

Part I of the paper discusses briefly what we have observed during the last several years regarding temperature and YP in small ponds, both shallow and deep. More observations on the temperature & oxygen relationships during the heat of summer need to be investigated. The occasional YP pond does have intermittent, rare deaths (up to 1-2/day) of larger perch during the hottest dog days of August whereas other ponds have no "visible" deaths. So far we only have theories and some things we are unscientificaly testing or trying; mostly dealing with aerator operation times.

I will be running trout pond overflow (lower 60's) into my perch pond to keep temps down in the mid 70's this summer. I'll be able to regulate the flow and keep it right where I want it! I will see what size I can grow them to also.

Lets see, all you can eat on a daily basis and water temps in the optimum range. All females and no compeition from other species. Charlie the tuna is going to have some competition!

great subject,i have one question.my 5 acre lake has it's share of bream(bluegill)i feed once a day and i have not noticed any real difference other than the fact i have thousands of them of all sizes.but i do not seem to have lots of large bream like i read about all though i do have some hand size and just below hand size.could it be once a day feeding is not doing much for the fish other than keeping them close to the feeding area.i do feed in two different locations on the pond,one with a feeder and one spot by hand.thanks

Lee, our 3 year old, 2 acre pond in N.E. Texas, one year ago,had 1" to hand size BG as you describe.

At that time we began a generous feeding program of high protein Aquamax 500/600 that has produced BG in good numbers to 1 pound 2 ounces.

What is compensatory feeding? I can guess what feeding to satiation is.

Layton,

That's where you stop feeding for a short time period, and then resume feeding -- doing this on and off periodically. Some research has shown compensatory growth (catch up growth) that actually exceeds growth if the fish are fed at a normal consecutive day rate. However as I have said I've seen contradictions.

The idea is this method of feeding stimulates growth somehow.

Cecil, can you give an example?
Say feed 3 days off 1 day or more like feed for 1 month and off for a week and start up again. It is fuzzy to me. The definition of the this word "compensatory" does not sound like the explaination. Thanks.

Little Dog,

A more typical example might be more like four days on, then two days off. The word "compensatory" means essentially that the fish perceives a period of starvation or lack of food has arrived and his body metabolism "compensates" by rapidly turning available protein into body mass.

Example: Bruce's wife diets for one week, then eats a five-pound box of chocolates, which causes her to somehow gain six pounds.

Go to this site and read about compensatory growth of bluegills. It does a more detailed job of explaining than I do.

http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/aquanic/ncrac/wpapers/sunfish32900.pdf

Bruce, isn't it funny how a good converting fish are put on a pedestal but not wives? I guess it's all relative.

Sooooo true!

Hi George , you said you feed your bluegill generously , one time a day or two ? apprx. how much a day ? also i have not been able to find the Aquamax 500/600 . you are not that far from me , where do you get yours . one more question , what size pellets is the Aquamax 500/600 . Thanks Harvey

Aaahhhh, now I understand!

Harley, you made me go back to check my records, which I needed to do anyway.
We have averaged 77 # of AQMX 500/600 per month for the past 11 months, more during the spring and fall months and less during the winter and summer.

Without searching what I reported before, I believe 10 seconds with a Stren ADF-75D feeder is 3.3 pounds with AQMX500/600. We feed 5 seconds twice a day during the warm water days and 5 seconds or less, one time per day in colder.
Hope this makes sense…..!

AQMX 500 is approximately 3/16th and 600 is about 5/16th of an inch – I mix them.

Our 2 acre N.E. Texas lake includes LMB, BG, a few yearling HSB, and channel cats which we are removing.

I purchase my feed from the Country Store in Murphy, but any Purina dealer will order it for you. There is a Purina dealer in Sulphur Springs but I’d bet good money there’s one in Canton?

HARVEY,
Excuse the typo - sorry about that.

George , thats ok i've been called a whole lot worse . have checked Kaufman , Van , and the AG store in Canton and the feed store in Ben Wheeler , with no luck . but you know i never thought to ask if they would order the purina feed . will try that , [ hit me on the head again ! ] . thanks for the info . by the way how are you coming with the Hybrids ? Harvey

Bruce Condello, I noticed you,re from Lincoln, NE as a fellow Husker fan I am trying to find contact info on the "Nebraska Lake Owners Assoc.) I am interested in finding a lab that can run and interpret some farm pond water tests for me.I'm a brand new "pondmeister" and already have made a couple of errors, based on bad info. Thanks.

What kind of errors have been made? My computer has been hijacked by my ten year old for a 4-H project so I'm not available for a day or two for lengthy answers, but I will be. Maybe I can see the pond some day on my way to Lindsay, NE.

Mr. Bill Cody. Did you get my e-mail last week?

My computer privileges have been curtailed for a week or two.

Bruce