Fish Hatchery Management - fisheries & aquaculture

NUTRITION AND T'EEDING 259TABLE 35. OPTIMUM FEED PARTICLE SIZES FOR SMALL CHANNEL CATFISH. CRUMBLES OR PELLETS SHOULD BE KEPT TO THE MAXIMUM SIZE THAT THE FISH CANINGEST. (souncn, STIcKNEY AND LovELL 1977.)CRL;MBLE OR PELLET SIZI,00 Crumble (starter)No. I crumbleNo. 3 crumble| -inch pelletFISH SIZF] iINCIIES]Swim-up fry0.5 1.5t.5 2.52.5 6Feeding MethodsAutomatic feeders with timing devices can be used to reduce labor costsand to provide fish with small quantities of feed at frequent intervals. Selffeedersor demand feeders are especially useful in feeding large channelcatfish, particularly during winter months when the fish fed less actively.Automatic feeders have become quite popular for feeding salmonids andcoolwater fishes. However, most pond-reared warmwater fishes are fed byhand. Mobile blower-type feeders often are used to feed warmwater fish inlarge ponds (Figure 77). One study determined that more frequent feedingwith automatic feeders did not increase growth of channel catfish over thosehand-fed twice per day. Because catfish have relatively large stomachs, theymay consume enough food for maximum growth in two feedings.Frcunn 77.pond.Bulk-feeding of formulated pelleted feed to catfish in a large rearing