Why Should I Feed My Fish?

Our friends at Purina Mills explain catfish, bluegill, minnows, and hybrid sunfish benefit from supplemental feeding.  But they’re not the only ones.  Here’s the rest of the story.

Experts say food pellets add nutrients to the water, thereby promoting plankton growth.  Plankton is vital forage for newly hatched fry.  If healthy plankton is plentiful, fry experience higher survival rates and provide more valuable food for high-end users, like bass or crappie that feed on baitfish.

Start feeding fish small amounts when water temperatures reach 55-60 degrees.  Distribute feed consistently at the same time and location.  Fish will adapt to the schedule. Match pellet size to fish length.  Offer only as much as they eat in 15-20 minutes.  There should be no pellets on the surface when fish stop feeding.  In the proper environment, fish can convert feed at a 2:1 ratio; producing a pound of weight gain for each two pounds of feed consumed.  Fed fish grow faster and have increased reproductive potential.

Purina Game Fish Chow includes several different sizes of floating pellets to serve broad age classes.  With 32 percent protein, it’s sound nutrition for fingerlings.  Game Fish Chow contains fishmeal and an attractant for high palatability, plus supplements that help prevent deficiency-related issues.  AquaMax is a “premium feed” with protein levels to 41 percent.  AquaMax is packaged with one size pellet, but varying sizes may be purchased individually, including one for special feed-trained largemouth bass.  Use AquaMax 500 for small fish and 600 for adults.  If you have feed-trained bass, they respond to 600 dispensed from standard feeders.  Or request AquaMax Largemouth (larger pellet requires special feeder).  Start today!