Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations tilapia species stocking

Other than the temp survival difference in species, does it make any difference what species are stocked if the primary goal is algae eradication. Last year I stocked blue tilapia which did a fantastic job on the algae, but at a cost. I only recovered a small amount of those introduced to the pond eating (lesson learned, start catching them late summer or early fall). I can purchase tilapia locally at a reasonable cost but they are not the cold tolerant blue variety.

The Rainman, Rex, is the expert in that field. You might want to message him. Tilapia are extremely torrent on all front, except cold. We have a huge, and I mean huge lake called the Salton Sea in California. Plenty of knowledge about tilapia here.

Roy...The fish I brought you last year, pure strain Blue tilapia will last the longest and provide the best control for you. Mozambiccus and then Nilotica would come in second and third, yet control would be short lived if achieved at all due to the shortened growing season.

I am already getting many spring orders near you and will be happy to get to you again if you like...just shoot me a PM.

As a side note, the largest fish supplier in Ohio is offering "blue tilapia" this year, but as I see their current plans and sizes, I see little chance of stocking success if ordered, plus, since I am not yet the supplier, if they are a hybrid "blue", stocking at 62 degree will be a pricey fish snack for predators as any hybrid would be lethargic and at no more than 6" sizes available a veru easy snack at that!

Rex, I saw that too.. Is there a chart available on the internet that shows how many Tilapia of "x" size are in a pound?

None I am aware of scott.

Rex,After we spoke a few weeks ago about this subject I sent one of their sales people a note on Feb 1st (also called without a return call)I asked about the stocking rate and sizes and timing of their advertised "blue tilapia" I asked them to convert the stocking numbers to weights since this is how most will relate to stocking.I inquired about their experience with their blue tilapia vs experience with "pure strain" since this is their first year in the tilapia game.I will call them again on Monday to see where they are coming from since they have not responded. I think most folks received their new catalog in the last few weeks thus sparking some interest.

Depending on body condition, a 4-6" tilapia could be anywhere from 40 to around 6 fish per pound. Regardless, stocking these small fish at the temps/sizes the other's have planned is a recipe for failure I fear.

While I would love to be this company's supplier, my major concern is that stocking the wrong fish at the wrong size and in an unproven "numbers" way will damage all the work I have done in proving my pure strain of Blue tilapia work in the northern climates of Indiana, Ohio, Ky and Tn, VERY well and that a large scale failure will really damage the idea of using Blue Tilapia due to less educated clients than are here on the forum.

When stocked it the recommended rate of 40 pounds per acre for algae control, there has not been a single known failure in achieving control that I am aware of and reorder rates by my largest distributer in NW Ohio is over 95% and his orders have tripled every year. My personal client base has also grown and I also have a reorder rate of over 95%. To me, that means they are acheiving all the Pond Meister's goals in a big way as they are not exactly cheap to stock.

You guys want to hear something wild? At a recent aquaculture conference I was at in Kentucky there is one presenter from Ohio that is selectively breeding tilapia for cold tolerance. He now has tilapia that are alive and growing at 49 F. albeit at a much slower rate.

Cecil....there may be a way it can happen, but as the oldest known cultured and most highly genetically experimented with fish there is, none have lived cooler than the 43-45 temp of the pure blue. At 49* in excellent water conditions and very low stocking density along with treating infections appropriately, a blue/Mozambique hybrid can do what was described...is the guy in Lima by chance?

No it's call Metro Aquaculture in Dayton, Ohio.

Rex
I am kind of surprised at your recommended 40#/acre for algae control. Last year I put in 13# into my 2/3 to 3/4 acre pond and after 2 weeks, never saw a bit of algae again. If it takes 40#, I can't imagine the magnitude of that algae problem and better quit complaining about my pond.

It might depend on the amount of algae in the pond, but I've seen success at that stocking rate, and not 100% success at 50% that rate.

I am also always surprised at the recommended stocking rate of 40#/acre.
I have had 8 years sucessful tilapia program with a stocking rate of 10-20#/acre and I have had some BAD algae problems.
Maybe it's a northern thing...

George, you may be right. I don't know at what temp they spawn, and our water temps don't stay as warm for as long as they do down by you.

George, we have had this convo in the past.....A central Texas pond's stocking rates, restricted to Mozzie's, has no correlation to the stocking rates and species needed in MUCH cooler waters and a MUCH shorter growing season. If you could legally stock pure Blues, only 5# would be needed there (based on some known stockings).

After the 5 years of stocking Pure Blues in Ohio, 40# is a rock solid stocking rate. Hybrids, Niles and mozzies have been stocked at rates over 100#/acre with little success in Ohio.

Comparing your pond to an Ohio pond is like comparing the comfort level of grass huts in Alaska and Tahiti...both will be simila in livable comfort...for about a weekor so in a year.

I'm guessing that economics come into play as much as temperature.
At our $10 bucks/lb, 40lbs/acre would have me living in a grass hut...

George...economics has nothing to do with it....$10/lb there grown and hauled an hour....$20-30/lb hauled over 1000 miles over 2 days...you do the math.

If it were "economically" less expensive to pay the rent, electric, etc of growing indoors in my market area, I would. To grow what I sell annually would take a capital investment of over $1M. Care to cover it for me?

Very expensive pond scum ....

Roy, if what I brought you last year worked well...then that is awesome and all that matters. A "bad" algae problem is purely subjective and most only notice the algae mats that died and floated to the surface...FA growth starts on the bottom. Is "bad FA" 20% bottom coverage..10%..60%??? The 40# per acre rate was not just a number pulled out of a hat, but derrived from estimated growing season and reproduction estimates....it is impossible to be truly scientific in it.

I'll make a deal with you George....Supply me with 8000# of tilapia in Toledo Ohio at $10/lb in late May.

Rex, the above post caught my attention - I have huge respect for your enterprise.