This first video was taken today during our 11 am trout feeding program the Mountain Cove Exhibit. The main exhibit has three distinct sections: brown trout (immediately below the waterfall), the mountain stream (home to darters and dace, including the P. rex), and this portion which is a combination of approximately 14 each of rainbow trout and brook trout. The trout are fed GrowMax trout chow every M, W, F, Sunday during the public feeding and a variety of natural foods on the days in between. Each section, including these trout, breed at least once a year. In fact, the largest female brown trout released eggs this morning. We generally do not collect and raise the eggs – the trout eat them otherwise – unless we have a specific need, but there are both brooks and rainbows currently in this exhibit that we raised from eggs a few seasons ago.
The second video is of the brown trout feeding. The largest female is approximately 12 pounds and is over nine years old.
