Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose How Many Tilapia????

I have come a cross an oppurtunity here in lower Alabama to battle my FA issues in one of my ponds this year. So the question is I have approx. 3/4 acre pond 6-8 ft deep and was wondering how many Tilapia fingerlings I should stock. The pond was stocked 2 yrs ago with 250 BG which have now spwaned into who knows what number. There were about 10 LMB in the pond but I have not seen them this season but the water is so stained at the moment. There are also 8 crass carp. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I don't know about down there, but up here we have to stock 40# per acre to control the FA. We also have to stock Tilapia that are large enough so the stockers aren't eaten by the LMB. Typically that takes fish a minimum of 1/3 the length of the largest LMB in the pond.

Thanks for the info. I hope this helps last year my pond was covered in FA. This year its coming back but my water clarity has also changed, so I have so much going on in the pond just trying to fight one problem at a time when time permits. Again thanks for the info.

Sorry for my stupidity, but what is "FA"?
How big do Tilapia get? Are they a good fish to eat?

FA: filamentous algae aka pond scum.

Not an expert on tilapia but i think 3 to 4 lbs. with some bigger? However if your temps drop below 50 in the winter they won't make it which will obviously decrease their maximum size.

Good fish to eat? It depends. Just like some species some like 'em some don't. However they are widely produced in the aquaculture industry so the general comcensus is they are good to eat.

FA is Filamentous Algae...and Tilapia are quite edible, although taste is objective of course. Let's just say I find them to be a very mild fish....to me, they take on the taste of whatever they're cooked in.

They are the same fish that you see in restraunts and in grocery stores.

Look here for acronyms: http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=92442#Post92442

My wife loves Tilapia. When I just told her that we could put them in the pond she got all excited.

So, If I expect to get any lovin' in the next 6 months I need to know where to get some.

Where can I buy some Tilapia?

Im not sure you can stock Tilapia in Georgia.

One of the fish farm guys may know more, but I dont know that it is legal for you to have them in a pond.

Found that out the hard way last summer.

Not sure how old this is:



Can tilapia be stocked into ponds and lakes in Georgia?

"Tilapia may not be stocked into ponds or lakes. This includes stocking for the purpose of raising them as a cultured species or for use as a forage species for other fish (i.e. supplemental feeding of trophy largemouth bass)"

http://www.georgiawildlife.com/node/728

Good Job Zep!
I guess that settles that question.

Back to the drawing board.

Thanks for your help.

Must be an echo in here. No problem just think it's funny when two posts say the same exact thing right after another.

^^^ Great minds think alike^^^ .

Maybe sprkplug has a great mind but...

I drove through Ozark Alabama about 3 weeks ago...15-20 pounds would do well in your 3/4 acre pond. Alabama stocking rates are around 20#/acre.

When Rex was here 5-6 weeks ago stocking our ponds with his tilapia we put 40 lbs in a 1.1 acre 20 lbs in a .45 acre that already had a bad FA problem from sinking pallets and X Mas trees last winter. The remainder of the other ponds were in the 35-40 lb range and 3 weeks later all were clean with ample spawn.This is our 4th season using tilapia."Thanks Rex"

Tilapia can take/will on the taste of what they have been eating.

Which the ones that eat feed taste great, or at least the ones I grew out last year in my tank. Even though the water was terrible before I had a chance to harvest them.

Have not had much luck getting them back out of my ponds to report how they taste from those waters.

I'm not so sure that tilapia take on the taste of what they are eating. We could easily prove this if some one is willing to eat a turkey buzzard.

I will believe that tilapia as do catfish will absorb the flavors of offensive algae odors in the water. A big part of offensive flavored fish is specific algae metabolites in the water that are directly absorbed into the tissues. If the wrong algae is present then fish can taste bad, but I don't think "off taste" comes directly from the foods that are eaten.

I can easily be wrong but physiologically explain to me how or why when tilapia or any other animal eats food and that food regardless of how good, bad or distasteful it is, the food goes through the digestive process and most if not all contents get broken down chemically and bacterially into basic soluble components such as basic sugars, carbohydrates, fats and amino acids. Some food substances and complex chemicals such as fiber do not get digested and are passed out the system. The basic amino acids and other components are then used to rebuild the protein and cells in the consumer organism. What we need is a physiologist to explain this for us.

Bill, I understand the logic and reasoning, yet have only found food fish industry studies on "off flavor" not being a concern at all. About the only information I have found on the subject mostly says "there is no concern of off flavors such as those associated with catfish". The only dangers I can find on potential off flavoring comes from improper cleaning opening intestines and tainting the flesh, It is recommended tilapia be starved 3 days in clear water to flush the gut and prevent this "danger".

From all I have read, heard and personally experienced, tilapia have always been bland and only take on the flavor of seasonings used when cooked....Even Tilapia eating blue/green algae.

Rman - I have eaten tilapia (imported) that have the characteristic algae "odd or off flavor" due to what I consider is one or a few specific species of what I think are bluegreen algae. Note I have never examined algae in water that produces the "off flavor" in fish. I use only info that I have read in the literature for this assumption. For me the "off flavor" once learned is very recognizable. I have never observed this flavor in any of the locally pond grown tilapia.

We actually tried some that had been dining on FA. It had an off taste that I attribute to their diet. Not muddy at all but like bad salad.

DD1 did you try eating some other fish species collected at the same time as the tilapia with off flavor? Taste of other fish would indicate if off flavor was due to diet or algae metabolites in the water.

Thanks Rex, I was just going to ask about "purging"(sp). But when you say clear water, do you mean something like well water or plain pond water?