Fish less than 1 gram can not be effectively graded. Grading reduces cannibalism which accounts for most of the losses during the first growing season. Fingerlings are generally available from producers in the southeastern U.S. from May to July depending on location. They are stocked at a rate of 8,000 to 12,000 fish per acre to complete their first year of growth. Two to 4 acre ponds are recom-mended for commercial production.
Large ponds are more difficult to manage whereas small ponds are expensive to build.
Initially fish are fed three times a day at a rate of 15 to 30 percent of body weight per day. After several weeks, feeding is reduced to twice a day, and gradually, the amount of feed is reduced to 1 to 3 percent of body weight per day by the end of the growing season. Protein requirements decrease as fish grow. Maximum growth oc-curs around 25 to 27 C, although hybrids survive a temperature range of 4 to 32 C in culture systems. Below 15 C, feed consumption is reduced and growth slowed.