Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Ok so online iv read online to only feed your fish as much as they can eat In (5min, 10min, 15min(all the different things I've read so far)) so I am trying to figure out how much I should actually be feeding them. There are 12 rainbow trout as of right now. All of them are about 10-11 inches except for one 9 inch fish. I can throw an actual handful and a generous handful at that of food in. Within seconds it is absolutely devoured within 20 seconds. If I keep adding more they will repeat. Any way to judge how much I should actually feed them then?

Also I am looking to get some channel catfish and maybe some small mosquito fish (assuming they will be eaten by the bigger rainbows and catfish eventually not to mention the one bass) anyone have any ideas where I can get these ?

I feed 8 8-10"trout a heaped desert spoon twice a day with barely any food left over. If I feed double that amount most of it ends up expanding on the floor. The morning feed is much more active than the evening feed.

So should I only feed them limited amount then? None of what I out in has hit the floor so far.

The more they consume the faster they grow.
The hatchery told me that they feed the ones they want to grow quickly as much as 8 times what they need. I'm thinking if they are use to eating a lot they may need weening down slowly.
The fish will take a certain amount of time to grow to maturity but how heavy they are will be in part related to how much they're fed. While culling ideal size fish you might consider what you're eating - an over fed porker or a natural looking fish.

3 reasons to slow down feeding:

- when nitrates are getting too high (or if not cycled to the feed volume and water temps are low) - try to keep as low as possible for maximum fish growth - nitrate levels over about 40ppm will slow fish growth.

- fish are getting fat looking

- they wont eat it all.

pretty much any other time, feed as much as possible.