Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Tilapia

Yes

I would like to know, that's different than want

"Cold tolerant" Tilapia would kill tilapia's use as a management tool. Death is the actual magic in moving lots of otherwise unused nutrient up the food chain.

Pure strain Blue Tilapia are the most "cold tolerant" with a drop dead temp at 42-45*f...some hybrid blues can go to about 50-52* and most other tilapia species/hybrids kick off around 55*.

Tilapia are the oldest known farmed fish in history, adaptation to cooler climates isn't going to happen.

Let me guess.....Fin Farm??? He was advertising a "cold water" tilapia.....who can say legally what "cold" water is...? He was selling a Mozambique Tilapia that will die at ~55*f

Since you guys seem to know a thing or two about Tilapia I thought I would jump in here and ask a question or two, but I don't want to hijack the thread- Would Tilapia help clear the muck from the bottom of my pond? If so, how many would I need for a roughly 1/4 acre pond 6-7 feet deep and of what size? Also, they breed like rabbits, is that a concern given the Winter kill (although I don't want a bunch of funkifying fish either)? Thanks!

Rex! Oh Raimnan, where are you!

Rex is the one that jump started Blue Tilapia for algae control in ponds. He'd know the answer in a heartbeat. I've never had a problem in any of the ponds that I've stocked with Tilapia with them causing a dead fish mess in the Fall.

One 2 ac pond where there were over 100# stocked, no dead fish problems, either visually or olfactory.

If I win the lottery I am buying you a swimming pool that looks like a pond!

LOL! I have talked about building a natural swimming pond. But that's a long way off. None of this would be an issue if I just gave up on the idea of swimming in my pond.....

I wouldn't give up on the idea. Many on here swim in their own ponds, my family included. But as I alluded to earlier, it's still a pond....not a swimming pool. Compromises.

I don't consider my biggest pond a compromise in swimming. It's gin clear right now and you can see the bottom anywhere off the pier that goes all the way across the pond. I've got a ladder mounted to it and swimming is a blast.

No small fish to nip at you as it's all male gills and female yellow perch. Looking in the water you'd think there are no fish, but there are over 300 large yellow perch and 100 large bluegills. Only see them at feeding time.

Cecil, do you attribute the clear water in the pond to the submerged vegetation that grows in the pond or something else? How much of the pond bottom (% wise) has vegetation growing on it?

If you had to put an estimate on it, what is your fish biomass (pounds) per acre foot of water?

All Sago Pondweed is gone. Only Chara on the bottom over most of the bottom. About 98 percent coverage. I attribute the clear water to the continuous well water that flows into the pond from the trout pond, no erosion, and uptake of nutrients by the Chara.



350 Yellow Perch average weight of 1.25 lbs.
150 bluegills average weight of 14 oz.

546.8 lbs Yellow Perch
131.2 lbs. of Bluegills
Total 678 lbs.

3.5 acre feet

193.7 lbs. per acre foot.

That water quality is pretty durn good with that biomass load! How many gallons of water runs thru the pond in a 24 hr period on average?

Largest biomass I've ever heard of. The flow through makes the difference.

Somewhat less than 64,800 gallons per 24 hours. The trout pond that flows into this pond has two outlets and there is some water leaving the secondary outlet. Also I'm sure there is some seepage and evaporation.

I'm a little concerned as I'm not seeing as many fish as I should at feeding time. However I haven't seen any sign of any major predators like otters, commorants, or Ospreys.

I'm hoping the warm temps have turned off most of the big perch and there is enough natural feed for the bluegills.

I'm seeing some muskrat dens in deeper water that go in toward the bank. No idea why they are deeper. Hope they are muskrats!

How deep Cecil? Couple of feet or deeper?

Maybe 3 or 4 feet. They head toward the bank but they are way down.

Maybe they got started when the pond was coming back up and I didn't notice them before?

Maybe, or if it's in an area where Sago was growing, they could be digging up roots. Usually they aren't so deep. Beaver yes, 'rats not so much.

You see any live ones swimming around maybe at dawn or dusk?

That's the weird thing. No activity whatsoever at dusk.