we combine a feeding trial in tanks and high-frequency fish collections from the same pond experiment described in Filbrun et al. (2013) to quantify live prey and feed contributions to fish growth through time. To our knowledge, this study is among the first to capture detailed isotopic dynamics of freely foraging juvenile fish with access to live prey and feed in a relatively complex pond ecosystem. Our findings have profound implications for improving channel catfish fingerling production by relying more heavily on live prey items to support fish growth in the early weeks after stocking fish in ponds.