Feeding 20lb Channel Catfish in my Pond

[Petdetective]

My backyard pond in Virginia (US) and is about 5,000 gal. I have a channel cat that is about 10 years old and we have had him since is was only 3 inches long. He has grown to about 30 inches now and is probably 20 lbs or so. I think I should be feeding him more than pellet food that I feed the goldfish. What would you recommend I feed him to keep him healthy?

[Viktor Jarikov]

Welcome to the Planet!

Post some pics! Various pellets are fine. If the pond is natural, I am sure he supplements his diet with insects, amphibians, reptiles, crusteceans, etc. that get in the pond and he can catch. If the goldfish can fit in his huge mouth, I am sure he eats some of them too... or is he alone in the pond?

You could offer fleshy frozen-thawed foods of aquatic origin - whole fishes and pieces, shrimp, sea foods, crayfish, mussel, frogs, etc. Just freeze them first to kill parasites. Make sure your bio-filter can keep up with a good safety margin.

[Petdetective]

Thank you for the advice. The pond is not natural, we have about 15 gold fish and one other baby cat fish. We think he has kept his fat on by eating the gold fish eggs or babies, but he is getting so big now. I will try supplementing his diet with some of the recommendations you made. Thanks!

[Viktor Jarikov]

At 30", his mouth is surely big enough to eat almost any average adult goldfish and in such a small pond he will have no problem whatsoever hunting them. Has their count not been changing?