HEY RALLYSMAN

I feed him shrimp, smelt, beefheart, earthworms, and I used to feed him feeders.

I'm guessing you will have to start a small on on feeders and slowly try to get them on shrimp.

I got mine to take shrimp by tieing it to a fishing line and making the shrimp look "alive"
You can expect to see it at a foot or so in about a year. They're pretty quick growers

Mine is about 18-19" at the moment, but his growth rate is fairly slow now.

Hopefully Vanimate will chime in, he has some small ones at the moment. I'd like to know how well and what they are eating.

That perch is a monster!

When they're young they'll have that color. It'll grow out of it to more of a gold pattern.

Mine sometimes gets the bright gold pattern, but it's mostly dark.
The orange will turn to a brownish green.