SM Bass - need to keep fed but not lose their natural instinct

I have some wild "pond caught" SMB and will need to keep them in my aquarium until next spring when my vegetation in my pond starts growing back. They have been in the tank for about a week and haven't fed.

I want to keep them alive but not get them to the point where they lose their natural predatory instinct because they will go back into my newely redug 1 million gallon pond. The tank is 579 gallons 50"x96"x28". I just need to keep them fighting until next summer when the tank water temp matches the surface pond water temp. I have 6 SMB ranging from 13" to 15".

Should I try to keep feeding krill, worms, market shrimp with a mix of minnows/shiners/crayfish?

If your intention is to keep them seeking for natural prey I would try to make it as natural of a setting as possible. Put cobble sized rocks in the bottom and then add a lot of crayfish. If you put enough crayfish in and give the crayfish enough hiding places this will force the bass to actually have to hunt for them.

I have some wild "pond caught" SMB and will need to keep them in my aquarium until next spring when my vegetation in my pond starts growing back. They have been in the tank for about a week and haven't fed.

I want to keep them alive but not get them to the point where they lose their natural predatory instinct because they will go back into my newely redug 1 million gallon pond. The tank is 579 gallons 50"x96"x28". I just need to keep them fighting until next summer when the tank water temp matches the surface pond water temp. I have 6 SMB ranging from 13" to 15".

Should I try to keep feeding krill, worms, market shrimp with a mix of minnows/shiners/crayfish?

I have done same with largemouth and spotted basses several years in row.

First concern is getting them to eat. Tank sizable but not large enough to prevent poor water quality if recently setup and bass not consuming forage. Check for ammonia and nitrite. Also, are the fish fighting? Dominant could prevent others from feeding and not be observed feeding itself. If water quality good, then I would place acouple shiners in after bass fast for a couple days. If consumed, then add a couple more shiners. It is desirable bass associate you with food. Enables monitoring of fish wellness as function of appettite.

Sounds easy enough. I don't have a problem with water quality. I use a 200 gallon sump setup and also auto drip 100 gallons per day into the tank.

The tank has been up and running for almost two years.

I guess I could trap minnows. The bait store could carry disease. I'll check to see what the local regs are.

I can also take the kids to catch crayfish. The perch river usually explodes with crayfish about this time of year.

Sounds easy enough. I don't have a problem with water quality. I use a 200 gallon sump setup and also auto drip 100 gallons per day into the tank.

The tank has been up and running for almost two years.

I guess I could trap minnows. The bait store could carry disease. I'll check to see what the local regs are.

I can also take the kids to catch crayfish. The perch river usually explodes with crayfish about this time of year.

Acquiring wildfish / crayfish to control disease outbreaks may prove counter productive. Poorly maintained bait minnows can certainly harbor parasites / pathogens but they are far less likely to do so than some wild stocks. For me, acquiring wild fish stocks and bringing them indoors is much more problematic than bringing in same species from a hatchery. When using either source of feeder fish, consider use of a quarantine tank and feeding the feeder fish. May cost more in short term but will improve food quality for bass in long term.


Also, in my experience with brood fish size black bass which yours are approaching, training such animals to pellets for winter holding will not be as detrimental as you might think for the bass when returned to the pond.

At the 10 day mark they have taken frozen jumbo shrimp. I'll see what else they will take before the last resort of adding shiners/minnows/crayfish.

At the 10 day mark they have taken frozen jumbo shrimp. I'll see what else they will take before the last resort of adding shiners/minnows/crayfish.

Try to diversify their diet as soon as possible. Muscle (shrimp) only that has been frozed and thawed is nutritionally far from complete.

New event. I am going to have to put two of the bass back in the pond. I guess they are navigationally retarded. They spent their whole life without glass and now keep smacking into it and constantly rubbing their lips on it while trying to swim through it.

Looks like their lips are getting injured. I plan to put them in some 100 gallon dark rubbermaid tubs with melafix/pimafix for a couple days then let them go.

New event. I am going to have to put two of the bass back in the pond. I guess they are navigationally retarded. They spent their whole life without glass and now keep smacking into it and constantly rubbing their lips on it while trying to swim through it.

Looks like their lips are getting injured. I plan to put them in some 100 gallon dark rubbermaid tubs with melafix/pimafix for a couple days then let them go.

Try lighting above tanks so you do not cast a shadow when approaching. Keep lights on 24-7 to stop panick attacks with coming on lights on. Has a pecking order setup with subordinates trying to swim through glass to get away.

Well that was quick... The bass are pretty much wet pets. I didn't expect it to happen as quickly as it did. They are the first to the glass when I walk by and I can clean the inside glass and touch them. They are actually worse then a begging dog.

I have fed treated shiners, night crawlers, crayfish, shrimp (with shell and tail), and krill. Is there anything else I should add. They haven't taken to massivore delight.