Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

My plan was to feed them worms, which I want to grow for my dirt gardens anyway, but I heard that too many worms are fattening. Would goldfish food work to supplement? Or is there something else I should give them?

(And I haven't even dug the holes yet. My brain is running too fast.)

Goldfish feeds are very low protein in comparison to complete aquaculture feeds...

Catfish aquaculture is a huge industry in the US... and quality feed should be easily obtained...

TCL has been very successful in growing out catfish... perhaps read through her thread and/or PM her regarding other possible supplements that can be fed to catfish...

I know that the industry was quite involved with utilising BSF (black soldier fly) larvae as a feed source ... at least until recently...

Worms might be a nice feed supplement but I seriously doubt you will manage to grow enough worms to feed to your catfish even if they were an appropriate complete feed. BSF are also a good supplement but again as with worms, they are fatty. Bugs are a good feed source and I have a bug zapper over one of my tanks that probably provides a good portion of the feed for my one really big catfish.

I would suggest you look up Purina dealerships in your area (you can go to the purina web site and search your area for feed stores to call) and ask them if they can get a bag of Aquamax 4000 Dense Culture Feed put on the next truck and what it would cost per bag (50lb bags.) (I've seen prices anywhere from about $22 all the way up to $50 over the past few years.) Unfortunately it isn't organic but it is high quality feed and will help balance out their diet and can grow them well in a good system. I would avoid feeds that are meant for "pond culture" since they are generally not as complete and have given me trouble with water quality when I used them in a recirculating system.

Catfish Chow of one brand or another, can be bought at almost any feed store, or at Tractor Supply, and maybe even Gebo's........

then suppliment their diet with worms, BSF, etc.... that you produce locally