Fish are fed commercial feed at a rate of 1 to 3 percent of body weight per day. While temperatures are low and dissolved oxygen levels are high, fish can be fed at a rate of 3 percent of body weight per day. However, as temperature and biomass increase, dissolved oxygen levels become more difficult to manage. The feeding rate should then be around 1 percent of body weight per day. Food conversion ratios of 2 to 1 or less are expected.
Daily monitoring is important because of the increased biomass of fish in the ponds.
Low dissolved oxygen levels can become a major problem at this stage. Aeration techniques are standard procedure. Paddlewheels are the most efficient aeration method in production ponds. Location of the paddlewheel is important to adequate aeration in the pond. Disease problems are more prevalent when fish are stressed by low dissolved oxygen levels.