Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Controlling unwanted plants How quick do Tilapia start acting like Pac-Man?

How quick do Tilapia really start affecting the aquatic vegetation?

I know it depends on the degree on FA infestation of a pond,
but i was still curious as to how quck they start working?

I now have 95 lbs of Tilapia in my 4 acre pond.

45 pounds have been in the pond about 6 weeks and another
50 lbs of larger/better quality was added last week.

It may be my imagination but it seems as though the aquatic vegetation that was growing like crazy several weeks ago has already been halted in it's spread pattern. It's not gone, but it appears to not be getting any worse and maybe even a bit less over-all just in several weeks. Is that possible?

Do Tilapia start "cleaning" a pond that quick or does it take them well into summer after several spawns and higher population?

I had a terrible FA problem on my 1 1/2 pond. The upper end was one continuous mat. Dropped in 50lbs of Tilapia and they absolutely nuked it! I am thinking about fertilizing just to produce FA so they will have something to eat. I actually seen them eating FA the next day after stocking. They have been in the pond about 4 weeks, and spawning like crazy. The white ones seem to eat the most IMO, or maybe there just easier to see.

Cool spinnerbait...that's great news. My first batch of tilapia I bought at a feed store didn't have any of the white ones and were kind of small. I'm afraid some of them may have been eaten before they had a chance. But the 50 lbs of tilapia I got from Overton's last week were big, healthy, active, and had some white ones. I too noticed the white ones seem to be the most active, but you're right maybe it's because we can see them better. I can't wait to see the damage they do to the FA come July in the Texas heat.

Matt at Aquatic Enviromental Services did a lake survey,noted the FA problem, and explained it simple. When you stock Tilapia you are transforming the FA into bass food(forage), and then in the fall you can catch the tilapia out to eat. Since I really don't like bass to eat, and want the BG to remain in the pond to produce forage, this seemed like an easy choice.
I ordered mine from Greg Grimes(Aquatic Enviromental) , and I was very impressed with not only my tilapia, but the other fish on the truck Josh was delivering to other folks. I am really sold on buying from the fish suppliers that advertise on here.

I actually put some Tilapia in this year for the first time. I am not sure if they have been eating the FA or I just have not seen any this year.

The last few years my pond had it al the way around out about 3 feet or so and made it hard to fish. Now I have not seen much if any this year. With the heat I would think it would be going crazy.

I do have a few GC and the Tilapia were just stocked about 2 weeks ago. I wonder if the CC have been eating some of it as well since my feeder has been empty for about 7-10 days? (I read somewhere that turning off your feeder will help the tilapia take to the FA and other stuff and get used to it so they would not eat as much feed).

As when I filled it back up today they went crazy, I wish I would have been there to fish as I may have been able to remove a few CC today.

mrhello, if you got a small quantity, or from a food fish producer, you may have all of one sex.

We got 50 pounds so I would think we would have at least a few of each sex, but like I said I can not tell them apart. The only thing is that I would have to catch a fish smaller than the ones we stocked to verify I have a spawn from the tilapia, and not sure how likely that will be.

I put a few in my tank at home as well to grow out to eat later this year, and possibly get them to spawn, but since there are so many in the 300 gal tank they may not be able to spawn, or if they do may eat each other. They are not wanting to eat either so not sure if they are stressed, eating what is in the water, or do not like the food I have for them.

If I could figure out how to attach pictures I would post some and try to figure out what type I have.

I would also like to be able to tell them apart from male and female and would catch some out of the tank or the next time I do a water exchange pull some out and take a look.

Go to the archives and read the very first thread on how to post pictures. It's easy if you follow the steps that are outlined.

How to sex Tilapia

There you go. 2 problems solved. Now lets see some pictures!