Perch feeding and more

READ THIS FIRST: this is an update so that nobody has to read through the whole thread to get information about my situation. I have 5 native fish in a 233 gallon pond. 3 perch, 2 rock bass, plus a crayfish and a small albino channel cat and a few small goldfish. The pond is 2 and a fourth feet deep. I am trying to get a 95 gallon to put them in during the winter.

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Hi guys, this is my first post. I have been in the fishkeeping hobby for some years now, but I just recently (yesterday) got my first natives, two yellow perch. They're about 3-4 inches. I caught them with a pole from a lake that's about an hour from my house, and we transported them in a 10 gallon with a small filter for oxygen (plugged into an adapter we bought specifically for this purpose). Contrary to what my family members said would happen, they did not die on the way, and they are now in my 210 gallon pond in my backyard (with five feeder-sized goldfish, each about 1"long). They are somewhat sluggish, as is to be expected, and they pretty much rest on the bottom of the pond in a pack with the goldfish all day. I'm hoping that eventually as they get over the shock, they will start to become more active and happy, since it is a pretty big environment (by the way, we usually have koi in the pond, but since all of them died over the winter, we decided to try to stock it with native fish, since they're a lot cheaper, generally).

I am nervous that I will not be able to keep up with their feeding demands, once they do start feeding. What is a good range of food for perch? I think I can get a dozen nightcrawlers maybe once every couple of weeks, and I can also afford maybe a few dollars-worth of feeder guppies per week, but I'm not sure (I'm in high school, and I'm not getting a job until this summer, most likely). What else can I feed them? Will they eat flakes, how long would it take to get them used to flakes, and is this enough? Will they eat koi pellets? Will they eat frozen cubes of bloodworms?

Thanks!

(Also, I am thinking of adding more natives if all goes well with my perch... how many small perch should I have in my 210 (they are schooling fish, right?), and can I have small rock bass or small-mouths? ...I do not plan to buy any more feeder goldfish, except obviously to feed to the natives.)

John, welcome to the forum.

Your best bet would be to get them on raw market shrimp that you can get from the grocery store frozen. You can usually get a 1lb of these for < $10 and it will last you a good while. Since they are small now, you could actually feed your two perch with a single shrimp (larger sized) every feeding. Once they get some size to them, they will probably take a whole shrimp. While they are young, I would feed once daily, and as they get older you can start skipping feedings to every 2-3 days, of course the portions are larger. Mix with feeders once in awhile. They will also eat earthworms. Mine would also eat Hikari floating and sinking carnivore pellets.

I don't know what size they will obtain in captivity but with good food, clean water, I wouldn't be surprised to see them grow close to 14". Mine was around 10.5" before it passed, way before his time.

What are the dimensions on your 210g pond?

Welcome to the site johnpritzlaff.

Contrary to what my family members said would happen, they did not die on the way, and they are now in my 210 gallon pond in my backyard (with five feeder-sized goldfish, each about 1"long).

You must be related to Irate Mormon

If you didn't understand my last comment, don't worry about it. Once you get to him you'll understand.

Glad they made it home well and glad you found us here.

First of all, thank you both for the welcomes!

John, welcome to the forum.

Your best bet would be to get them on raw market shrimp that you can get from the grocery store frozen. You can usually get a 1lb of these for < $10 and it will last you a good while. Since they are small now, you could actually feed your two perch with a single shrimp (larger sized) every feeding. Once they get some size to them, they will probably take a whole shrimp. While they are young, I would feed once daily, and as they get older you can start skipping feedings to every 2-3 days, of course the portions are larger. Mix with feeders once in awhile. They will also eat earthworms. Mine would also eat Hikari floating and sinking carnivore pellets.

I don't know what size they will obtain in captivity but with good food, clean water, I wouldn't be surprised to see them grow close to 14". Mine was around 10.5" before it passed, way before his time.

What are the dimensions on your 210g pond?

Okay, shrimp huh? Sounds good. How big are they, and will they be easy to find? Will the perch eat them right away, or will it take some training? The dimensions of my pond are five feet long by two and a half feet wide by two and a fourth feet deep (the exact measurements are 62"x29"x27", according to a sheet of paper in our garage... by the way, I wasn't the one who did the calculations so if this doesn't come out to 210, let me know, if you care to do the math).

teleost, I'm glad they made it home as well, and since it seems like they're going to get pretty big, I'll probably be here for a while Hopefully long enough to figure out your Irate Mormon reference!

233 gallons

233 gallons

Ah, thank you. It's nice to know the real dimensions. Plus, I got 23 gallons for free!

Alright guys I'm going to the store in a few minutes. I'm going to try to get some shrimp, I hope that will work.

Alright guys I'm going to the store in a few minutes. I'm going to try to get some shrimp, I hope that will work.

Be careful not to get the kind that are poisonous to perch. They are usually greyish-pink in color.

It may take some coaxing and it may not. I think I waited too long to try shrimp with mine. It took me almost 2 weeks to get my 5-6 inch perch to take shrimp. Once you get one of them to take it, the other will. You may have to wait until you run out of feeders to try. In the long run, pellets may be the way to go. Get them to a good size and get them on a healthy pellet.

I feed mine freeze-dried freshwater shrimp:
http://cgi.ebay.com/...5.c21.m20.l1116
with occasional live feeders. It took a few days to learn to eat prepared foods, but it eats them like a pig now.

Okay guys, I just got the chance to check the thread.

Earlier today, I went to the store and bought frozen "Raw White Shrimp", deveined and with the tail on, ready to thaw and cook, farm raised, from the freezer isle. They are grey-white in appearance. I put one in frozen, and it dropped to right in front of the perch. So far, it doesn't seem like either have tried it yet. That's all the information I have. I do not know if they are freshwater or saltwater, although I would assume saltwater, but what do I know? The ingredients are "Shrimp, salt and sodium tripolyphosphate to retain freshness." Is this all okay?

You should be fine with the shrimp. Like I said, it may take some time. If need be, get them to the point that they are hitting feeder fish as soon as you drop them in. While doing this, drop a sliver of shrimp in. Soon enough you will be able to drop just shrimp in and they will feed eagerly.

You should be fine with the shrimp. Like I said, it may take some time. If need be, get them to the point that they are hitting feeder fish as soon as you drop them in. While doing this, drop a sliver of shrimp in. Soon enough you will be able to drop just shrimp in and they will feed eagerly.

Okay, well I'm getting them their first feeder fish tomorrow (I think some people in this thread think I have already given them some, but I meant that there were already feeder goldfish in the pond before I put the perch in, and they are probably too big for the perch to eat). I will try to get them to eat the feeders, and I'll go from there. Are feeder guppies okay? They're 7 for a dollar at my lfs.

Are feeder guppies okay? They're 7 for a dollar at my lfs.

They will eat them but it will require a lot more of them to satisfy your perch. Rosy reds may be a better bet if you can get those. If you're close to any body of water, you can probably get a good supply of minnows to feed them as well until you can get them on shrimp or pellets.

They will eat them but it will require a lot more of them to satisfy your perch. Rosy reds may be a better bet if you can get those. If you're close to any body of water, you can probably get a good supply of minnows to feed them as well until you can get them on shrimp or pellets.

Okay, thanks for the info.

For the time being though, I am worried that they will not eat anything as they are very sluggish. They do not move very much, even when I disturb the water or things around them. I have mostly left them alone, but when introducing a clay pot to the pond I had to move a cord that they were hiding under, and they barely reacted. I am concerned.

No need to be concerned at this point. They may take several days before they eat. Once they get hungry enough to overcome their reluctance to eat, they will eat voraciously forevermore.

No need to be concerned at this point. They may take several days before they eat. Once they get hungry enough to overcome their reluctance to eat, they will eat voraciously forevermore.

Okay, thanks for the reassurance.

Okay, thanks for the reassurance.

Hi John, my first time on this site . To begin with i have a 150 gl tank with nothing but native fish =7 perch, 1 lgmouth bass, 3 bluegills, 2 rock bass, 1 warmouth and a channel cat .they have been together for a year now and the only trouble was with the rock bass and that only lasted for a couple of days . I feed these guys with alot of mixed items = flake, feeders,pellets, shrimp and they will eat hot dogs and bologna yes bologna they will eat a whole package if the opportunity arises.I have been in this hobby going on thirty yrs, it takes alittle patience and some nail biting but in the end it will be worth it .


Brett ,fatherof5

Hi John, my first time on this site . To begin with i have a 150 gl tank with nothing but native fish =7 perch, 1 lgmouth bass, 3 bluegills, 2 rock bass, 1 warmouth and a channel cat .they have been together for a year now and the only trouble was with the rock bass and that only lasted for a couple of days . I feed these guys with alot of mixed items = flake, feeders,pellets, shrimp and they will eat hot dogs and bologna yes bologna they will eat a whole package if the opportunity arises.I have been in this hobby going on thirty yrs, it takes alittle patience and some nail biting but in the end it will be worth it .
Brett ,fatherof5

Well I hope in a few years I will have as many natives as you. Thanks for the info.

Hi John, my first time on this site . To begin with i have a 150 gl tank with nothing but native fish =7 perch, 1 lgmouth bass, 3 bluegills, 2 rock bass, 1 warmouth and a channel cat .they have been together for a year now and the only trouble was with the rock bass and that only lasted for a couple of days . I feed these guys with alot of mixed items = flake, feeders,pellets, shrimp and they will eat hot dogs and bologna yes bologna they will eat a whole package if the opportunity arises.I have been in this hobby going on thirty yrs, it takes alittle patience and some nail biting but in the end it will be worth it .
Brett ,fatherof5

Man, you are going to need another tank someday! I have heard that it is not good to feed mammal flesh to fish (something to do with the fats being incompatible somehow). I used to feed anything and everything to my tropicals and natives with no apparent ill effects.