NUTRITION AND FEEDING 



259 



Table 35. optimum feed particle sizes for small channel catfish, crum- 

 bles OR pellets should be kept to the maximum size that the fish can 



ingest. (SOURCE; STICKNEY AND LOVELL 1977.) 



CRUMBLE OR PELLET SIZE 



FISH SIZE (INCHES) 



00 Crumble (starter) 

 No. 1 crumble 

 No. 3 crumble 

 ^-inch pellet 



Swim-up fry 

 0.5-1.5 

 1.5-2.5 

 2.5-6 



Feeding Methods 



Automatic feeders with timing devices can be used to reduce labor costs 

 and to provide fish with small quantities of feed at frequent intervals. Self- 

 feeders or demand feeders are especially useful in feeding large channel 

 catfish, particularly during winter months when the fish fed less actively. 



Automatic feeders have become quite popular for feeding salmonids and 

 coolwater fishes. However, most pond- reared warmwater fishes are fed by 

 hand. Mobile blower- type feeders often are used to feed warmwater fish in 

 large ponds (Figure 77). One study determined that more frequent feeding 

 with automatic feeders did not increase growth of channel catfish over those 

 hand-fed twice per day. Because catfish have relatively large stomachs, they 

 may consume enough food for maximum growth in two feedings. 





FIGURE 77. 

 pond. 



Bulk- feeding of formulated pelleted feed to catfish in a large rearing 



