Switch from hydrated to dry feed

I've got about 175 shooter yellow perch 5 1/4 to 7 1/4 YOY perch that I feed trained in a pond using a light and a belt feeder inside now in a 300 gallon RAS. They go bonkers over hydrated commercial pellet feed three times a day, which I hydrate in a zip lock bag with water to a dough like consistency. I then pinch the pellets to push the air out which causes them to slowly sink vs. float if they are not pinched. Anyway, I'd prefer to they take dry pellets with similar gusto but alas many aren't as crazy about them for obvious reasons. The hydrated feed increases tds' considerably and it's harder to get a good read on exact feed intake vs. dry floating feed. Also a little more waste although they pretty much eat whatever I throw in. I also want them exclusively on dry feed for where they are destined to be sold to once they reach a large size.

Should I slowly wean the over to the dry floating pellets or go cold turkey and assume since they are trained to feed on artificial feed they will get hungry enough to do so?

I have tried dry feed exclusively for about three days and some really nail the dry pellets while others don't seem too interested.

I know it's not an aquarium and my goals are different in that I want to grow these fish as fast as possible, but I know I can always count on you fish geeks for good advice.

Thoughts?

Edited by az9, 20 December 2010 - 12:11 AM.

Well, if they stay in the water long enough before being eaten then they will turn into hydrated pellets. Problem solved!

Well, if they stay in the water long enough before being eaten then they will turn into hydrated pellets. Problem solved!

True but that they remain floating and the agitator pushes them to the tank wall where they seem to be ignored.

True but that they remain floating and the agitator pushes them to the tank wall where they seem to be ignored.

Well then, let 'em starve, stupid fish.

True but that they remain floating and the agitator pushes them to the tank wall where they seem to be ignored.

No way. I get really good money for them once I get them up to 13 inches and larger. And these particular fish are well a head of the growth curve and they're eating machines (hydrated feed). I should have 12 inch fish at only one year of age.

A friend has suggested I progress from the sinking hydrated to floating hydrated gradually. Then go to floating dry feed.

Edited by az9, 21 December 2010 - 10:11 PM.