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Joined: May 2010
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Lunker
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Just wondering if this concept would work and what the pros and cons would be to doing this?
Also would it be too late now to add some and how big would they get if we could get them in there within the next few weeks?
The reason I ask is my father has a pond that he thinks is at most 5 foot deep and no fish are in it. He had hopes of fixing it but at this time the cost does not justify to do so.
So I am trying to figure out a way to use the BOW for either a forage pond or to grow out Tilapia.
Since Tilapia with die off in the winter, I was wondering what all the dead fish or at least the ones we could not catch would do to the water quality?
Other options would be welcomed as well.
thanks
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Joined: Jul 2009
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Ambassador Lunker
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MRHELLO, Rainman is the TP expert, but my first thought was overcrowding and a lot of dead fish. If you have nothing to eat them as they die I would think you would have one stinky mess on your hands. Or a whole bunch of turtles, racoons and muskrats visiting your pond!  Even if you caught some of them, TP are reproducing machines from what I been told. Keep in mind this is just my 2 cents and that may be about what it's worth. As I am no TP expert for sure, but I think you could loose control of that pond quickly if your not careful. I am sure they would clean it up for you though. With so many in there you may have one of the cleanest ponds in O.K.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
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Joined: May 2010
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Lunker
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That was one of my thoughts was they could clean the pond up and if by chance there are fish in there they would have a feast.
If there are not any fish I figures we would see a ton of fry later this year and need to do something about getting them out, either trap, net, line, etc. We could also drain the pond to get them out.
Just wanting some advice, plus being so late I have a feeling they would not get big enough to eat anyway and may need to wait until next year to try this.
Thanks
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Joined: Jul 2009
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Yeah I would wait. You only really have about 3 more good months before things start cooling down pretty quick. End of Oct. and one cold snap and it could be over.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
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Joined: May 2010
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Lunker
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Would like to get more opinions or ideas about this concept.
Besides the dead stinky fish are there other concerns?
Anyone think something else would work in this pond?
Thanks
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What are your goals for the pond next year? Will it go dry or will you stock it next year with predator fish? Do you have a way to overwinter some of the larger Tilapia (55 gallon drums in a greenhouse, etc.)for breeding stock? Do you just want to see fish (feeder goldfish are cheap at your local pet store, but I don't know if they will overwinter?
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Joined: Jan 2010
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Lunker
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Why not stock it with fish that overwinter. Maybe FHM or gambusia. You could actually scoop or seine them out with a minnow net and transfer them to a pond for food and planting or sell them. I'd love to have a year round Tilipia pond but I just can't.
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame  Lunker
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MrHello, if you went with tilapia, depending on the species, they will go belly up in cooler weather so the "stench" takes longer to develop.
You have not really said what your goals for the pond are. If it will be simply a forage pond for the time being, I would suggest stocking Fatheads and Golden Shiners for year round forage availability. If you want a big boost in numbers, add tilapia in the spring each year.
FH and GSH are fairly easy to seine where tilapia are notoriously difficult to seine in ponds not specifically designed for that purpose.
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This is why I want ideas, and it seems I am getting some. This pond is my fathers which he just purchased the land. He was at first pretty excited until he figured out that it is not that deep and now feels it will be a waste or just a water source for wildlife.
I on the other hand think it can be used for something and told him I will take the time to do so and that is the reason for this question. I was thinking of just doing FHM, Shiners, crawdads, tadpoles, etc. Not sure if all of them would overwinter or not but that was some thoughts.
I then was thinking since there are not any fish or not many in the pond that maybe we could possibly stock Tilapia (which I think it is too late now to get any size on them), to grow out to eat this year and possibly save a few to over winter to restock next year to grow out again or even put in other ponds that have a fish base to help with forage and vegetation.
Like I said we do not have a plan or goal at this time and just taking some expert advice from the forum.
We are looking to get as many ideas, recommendations, and anything that should be completely shied away from mentioned here so we can decide what we think would be the best option based on the feedback here.
We then will let everyone know on the forum what we choose and then hope to get the best ideas how to achieve the ultimate goal.
Much thanks in advance.
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Lunker
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If your goal is for eating a little late for that. If it is to add to another pond as forage there is time for that. Growing them out to a couple inches in that time frame is within reason.
Also depends on what size you are getting them. How big a pond are we talking about?
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Lunker
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Lunker
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Texas715,
This pond should be in the range of 1/2 acre give or take. It is about 5 feet deep so that is one reason I think we would have a hard time with any fish making it through the winter.
Plus as that depth it may be reasonable to drain it toward the end of year to get Tilapia out.
If I were to make it a Tilapia pond how many should be stocked in this size pond?
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Joined: May 2010
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Lunker
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Hal,
What are you trying to tell me here?
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Joined: Jun 2007
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
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Texas715,
This pond should be in the range of 1/2 acre give or take. It is about 5 feet deep so that is one reason I think we would have a hard time with any fish making it through the winter.
Plus as that depth it may be reasonable to drain it toward the end of year to get Tilapia out.
If I were to make it a Tilapia pond how many should be stocked in this size pond?
40-50 Blue Tilapia in the 4 inch range would produce hundreds of thousands of offspring for forage. But left to spawn uncontroled, most would max out at .75 pounds except for the original stockers. If seined regularly, and fed, the sizes of the first yoy would average about 1.5 pounds. If you want to grow Tilapia for food, stock 1500 all male 1 inch fry and fertilize the pond. You'll harvest about 3000 pounds of filletable fish at the end of the year. Feed and aerate and you'll get about 4000 pounds. Expect around 20% mortality from cannabalism. Tilapia are not a real sociable fish. 
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Joined: Feb 2009
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Lunker
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Lunker
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Rainman,
How would you determine all male fry at just 1 inch in size? I mean I have good eyesight and everything, but holy moly.
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Joined: Jun 2007
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
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All male fry are treated with testosterone and other hormones to reverse/sterilize females...this is the most common metod in the food production industry. A less common method is aquiring a "Supermale Tilapia" at about $25K here.... GMT Tilapia A third, less reliable method is crossing a Pure strain Blue Tilapia (O. Aurea) Male with a Pure strain Nile (O. Nilotica) female. Claims of male progeny of up to 95% are often made using this method, but 70% male is more realistic and common.
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Joined: May 2010
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Lunker
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Lunker
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Texas715,
This pond should be in the range of 1/2 acre give or take. It is about 5 feet deep so that is one reason I think we would have a hard time with any fish making it through the winter.
Plus as that depth it may be reasonable to drain it toward the end of year to get Tilapia out.
If I were to make it a Tilapia pond how many should be stocked in this size pond?
40-50 Blue Tilapia in the 4 inch range would produce hundreds of thousands of offspring for forage. But left to spawn uncontroled, most would max out at .75 pounds except for the original stockers. If seined regularly, and fed, the sizes of the first yoy would average about 1.5 pounds. If you want to grow Tilapia for food, stock 1500 all male 1 inch fry and fertilize the pond. You'll harvest about 3000 pounds of filletable fish at the end of the year. Feed and aerate and you'll get about 4000 pounds. Expect around 20% mortality from cannabalism. Tilapia are not a real sociable fish. What is the time frame to expect these results? When would they be stocked and when would they be harvested? What kind of results would you get if you change your 4 inch range to say 1/2-1 inch fry? Would you have to add more or less fish? Would they even have a chance to spawn as I have read where the Blues spawn at about 6 months? Would you get different results from stocking other types of Tilapia like the Wami, Nile, Mozambique, rocky mounting white, etc.?
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Joined: Jun 2007
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
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What is the time frame to expect these results?
When would they be stocked and when would they be harvested?
What kind of results would you get if you change your 4 inch range to say 1/2-1 inch fry?
Would you have to add more or less fish?
Would they even have a chance to spawn as I have read where the Blues spawn at about 6 months?
Would you get different results from stocking other types of Tilapia like the Wami, Nile, Mozambique, rocky mounting white, etc.?
Nile, (Oreochromis Nilotica) and Blues, (Oreochromis Aurea) will reach an average of 1.5 pounds in 6-9 months from hatching. I have never heard of a "Wami" tilapia. "Rocky Mountain White" is more of a slang name for Nile Tilapia---usually a hybridized version to produce whiter scales. (the whiter scales make the fish look more presentable when sold live by making missing scales and handling injuries harder to see). Blue and Nile hybrids are by far the two most popular fish in the food industry. Blues for their growth rate and superior flavor. Niles for their late sexual maturity and excellent flavor. Whoever wrote what you read about Blues becoming sexually mature around 6 months was simply wrong....Mozambique (Oreochromis Mozambicus) reach sexual maturity in an 11 week average, Blues in 12 weeks and Nile in 1.5 years...these are for the pure strains. Most tilapia are hybridized with some other tilapia and there is no telling when they will reach sexual maturity. Stocking rates are entirely dependant on specific goals and the species to be stocked. In a pond enviornment with only a 6 month growing season, stocking a 4" Blue Tilapia would result in at least 3 seperate generations of offspring...Blues and Mozambiques will spawn about every 3 weeks in average water conditions and fish densities...Ask Weissguy about Niloticas as I'm not sure. Weiss grows a popular Nile hybrid. Every tilapia variant, like every pond, is different. I read the link Hal posted about tilapia in Austrailia. Au. is up in arms and FEARS the tilapia will pose problems to native species, yet they have yet to report a single native species being harmed....go figure!
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,840
Lunker
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Lunker
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What is the time frame to expect these results?
When would they be stocked and when would they be harvested?
What kind of results would you get if you change your 4 inch range to say 1/2-1 inch fry?
Would you have to add more or less fish?
Would they even have a chance to spawn as I have read where the Blues spawn at about 6 months?
Would you get different results from stocking other types of Tilapia like the Wami, Nile, Mozambique, rocky mounting white, etc.?
Nile, (Oreochromis Nilotica) and Blues, (Oreochromis Aurea) will reach an average of 1.5 pounds in 6-9 months from hatching. I have never heard of a "Wami" tilapia. "Rocky Mountain White" is more of a slang name for Nile Tilapia---usually a hybridized version to produce whiter scales. (the whiter scales make the fish look more presentable when sold live by making missing scales and handling injuries harder to see). Blue and Nile hybrids are by far the two most popular fish in the food industry. Blues for their growth rate and superior flavor. Niles for their late sexual maturity and excellent flavor. Whoever wrote what you read about Blues becoming sexually mature around 6 months was simply wrong....Mozambique (Oreochromis Mozambicus) reach sexual maturity in an 11 week average, Blues in 12 weeks and Nile in 1.5 years...these are for the pure strains. Most tilapia are hybridized with some other tilapia and there is no telling when they will reach sexual maturity. Stocking rates are entirely dependant on specific goals and the species to be stocked. In a pond enviornment with only a 6 month growing season, stocking a 4" Blue Tilapia would result in at least 3 seperate generations of offspring...Blues and Mozambiques will spawn about every 3 weeks in average water conditions and fish densities...Ask Weissguy about Niloticas as I'm not sure. Weiss grows a popular Nile hybrid. Every tilapia variant, like every pond, is different. I read the link Hal posted about tilapia in Austrailia. Au. is up in arms and FEARS the tilapia will pose problems to native species, yet they have yet to report a single native species being harmed....go figure! Would stocking fry work if there are not any predators in the pond, if so how large would they get?
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