I may give the optimal a try but my fish feed very pronounced and are not first year feed trained fish, after 11 years of hand feeding and harvest, I doubt you will make them do tricks just by changing foods. It is probably safe to say that all my original stocked fish have been eaten by harvest, hazards, or herons. The guy I bought my fish from locally was a Mellick customer, and for good reason, it was reasonable cost and good quality. I got 600 lbs last year for under $500 including shipping, $.83/lb to my door. I know, times change, things cost money, but I use to work in sales and have a degree in engineering, I analyze everything, probably too much at times.
I have fed Purina grower 600 and the Mellick 40/10 in a 7.5 mm size, I like the bigger pellets but Optimal doesn't list 6-7 mm size it jumps up to 9 mm, I know by stomach content checking my 5 -6 inch perch eat 7.5 mm pellets. I worry the 9mm are too small and the 3.5 I know are not what I want to try to hand throw, which is how I feed, 2 times a day. I'm looking back at the Purina but the local supplier was difficult to deal with, tractor supply can order it but they are trying to figure it all out. I may buy a couple different feeds and see what me and my fish find most favorable.
