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Joined: Jul 2017
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Joined: Jul 2017
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I want to stock Tilapia on a pond that already has Bluegill. Would they be competing for the same food source. Would there be an issue with both residing in the same pond?
I want to add Tilapia as an extra food source for Largemouth Bass.
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 3,864 Likes: 298
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 3,864 Likes: 298 |
BG and TP usually play well together. Tilapia prefer aquatic vegetation, particularly algae. BG eat insects, other fish, crustaceans, but not algae nor vegetation.
Bear in mind that tilapia are a tropical fish and cannot survive cool water temperatures that BG will weather easily.
One nice thing about TP is that they convert useless algae into fish food for BG (small TP) and LMB (larger TP). This lessens pressure on BG.
7ac 2015 CNBG RES FHM 2016 TP FLMB 2017 NLMB GSH L 2018 TP & 70 HSB PK 2019 TP RBT 2020 TFS TP 25 HSB 250 F1,L,RBT -206 2021 TFS TP GSH L,-312 2022 GSH TP CR TFS RBT -234, 2023 BG TP TFS NLMB, -160
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Joined: Jan 2006
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Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
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The BG are going to eat the small tilapia and so are the small bass. But that's OK. It's just Mama Nature at work.
It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.
Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
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Joined: Jun 2008
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Ambassador Lunker
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Ambassador Lunker
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What are your goals for the pond, particularly pertaining to the bluegill? Are you using them as forage, or is maximum size possible on the agenda?
"Forget pounds and ounces, I'm figuring displacement!"
If we accept that: MBG(+)FGSF(=)HBG(F1) And we surmise that: BG(>)HBG(F1) while GSF(<)HBG(F1) Would it hold true that: HBG(F1)(+)AM500(x)q.d.(=)1.5lbGRWT? PB answer: It depends.
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Joined: Jun 2013
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Joined: Jun 2013
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I think adding tilapia as extra food source for LMB is a great idea. However I have seen in ponds where little algae exist that tilapia will turn to feeding on fish pellets intended for other fish species. This may or may not hurt productivity in the pond system since tilapia out produce Bluegill giving LMB more available forage.
Forced to work born to Fish
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Joined: Jul 2016
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Joined: Jul 2016
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I'm going to watch this thread, thanks for posting! I have a good bit of algae. I didn't know TP was a good forage for LMB and BG. I have GSF and BG...how would they play with GSF?? Or would they be forage for them to?? I guess they would if BG would eat them. I would love to add more forage to my pond...and have plenty of algae for them.
Last edited by peachgrower; 07/29/17 09:44 AM.
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 3,864 Likes: 298
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 3,864 Likes: 298 |
I'm going to watch this thread, thanks for posting! I have a good bit of algae. I didn't know TP was a good forage for LMB and BG. I have GSF and BG...how would they play with GSF?? Or would they be forage for them to?? I guess they would if BG would eat them. I would love to add more forage to my pond...and have plenty of algae for them. In your shoes, next spring I'd add TP too large for the mouth gap of GSF and BG. They will still eat some small YOY TP, but that is far more acceptable than having your stockers eaten before they can reproduce.
Last edited by anthropic; 07/29/17 05:57 PM.
7ac 2015 CNBG RES FHM 2016 TP FLMB 2017 NLMB GSH L 2018 TP & 70 HSB PK 2019 TP RBT 2020 TFS TP 25 HSB 250 F1,L,RBT -206 2021 TFS TP GSH L,-312 2022 GSH TP CR TFS RBT -234, 2023 BG TP TFS NLMB, -160
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Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 94 Likes: 2
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Joined: Jan 2017
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My plan, right or wrong, was to have a few dozen Blue Tilapia in a tank over the winter at a lower temp to keep them from breeding.
Once spring is close, then raise the temp and get them breeding. Once I have a large quantity then I would add them to the pond and let mother nature work. I am in KS, so I know they will all die once winter comes, if not before. I am ok with that (i think) because it will keep the tilapia from over populating.
Not sure why I couldn't keep doing this every year. It provides a boost of forage for LMB in the summer, but resets every year.
I also planned on using BG and RES as permanent occupants with my LMB.
Def not an expert tho. Just a thought.
Cheers!
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Moderated by Bill Cody, Bruce Condello, catmandoo, Chris Steelman, Dave Davidson1, esshup, ewest, FireIsHot, Omaha, Sunil, teehjaeh57
My First
by Fishingadventure - 05/05/24 09:16 PM
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