Pond Boss Forums FISH & FISHING Fly Fishing & Other Fish Species Tilapia Cost Questions

There are two supplies in the area I have found (central NC). Both are more expensive than I expected.
First guy has them at 4” to 4.5” for $140.00 per 100. He only sales in 100 fish increments. Second guy sold them last year at $1.75 each but won’t give a price until he gets them in early May. They will be 3” to 4”. He also suggested stocking 200/acre. My pond is 2 acres which would cost a pretty penny at those prices. So my questions are:
Are these normal costs for Tilapia?
Is this the stocking rate I would need?

Thanks for your help.

Ask Rainman..

The reason you are stocking is because of FA or feeding LMB?

Everything I am used to seeing is stocking "x" pounds per acre for either of the above reasons. So you need to find out how many it takes to get a pound. I know I have seen that around here, just don't know where to locate it at the moment.

I just checked the price for tilapia here. Its 18.00/# for 5"-10" size, delivered.

As BGK said, ask Rainman if he don't respond here. From what I understand he has a good stocking success with all different sizes in the mix.

I stock about 35-40 lbs of Tilapia per acre.

The first year I stocked 25lbs per acre.

Up here, I found that FA wasn't controlled until I hit the 40# per surface acre amount.

As it is with almost all fish, you want your stocker fish to survive, and the YOY to get eaten. So, you have to stock Tilapia that are large enough to avoid predation by any LMB or other fish in the pond.

I stocked a pond last year that the previous year was stocked with 3"-4" Tilapia (at the correct # per surface acre). The previous year the owner didn't have the algae control that he wanted. When I talked to him in August, he said that stocking the larger fish seemed to do the trick - he said he never saw any of the smaller tilapia that he stocked, and thinks that the LMB in the pond ate the majority of them.

At $18/lb, you are getting a food fish Hybrid Tilapia...Possibly even mostly male fish. Results will be very spotty at best, require they be stocked in warmer water, plus they die earlier. Mine are a little more per pound, but can be stocked at 62 degrees and live to 45 degrees, are ungraded, 5-10", so they are not pricey bass snacks and are very consistent on stocking rates for algae control/forage production. You could end up buying more than twice as many of the "cheap" fish to gain the same results. No savings there at all when the numbers are crunched.

I strongly suggest ungraded fish because of 2 reasons...Graded fish can result in a majority of a single sex rather than a good mix....Second, a few small fish may distract predators from the rest to allow a faster pond acclimation, plus the few small ones sacrificed weigh/cost very little. (I personally stock a pound or two extra to cover any loss)

Stocking by numbers has never worked well, when it comes to goal achievement consistency and results, due to the wide range of size and sex mix percentages.

A 5" Tilapia may not even be sexually mature if grown in very fertile water. Stocker fish are there for one reason, reproduction. The amount of algae consumed by the stocker fish is miniscule compared to what the offspring produced will consume.

Rex, you are the tilapia expert and highly regarded on the forum for folks in northern waters but info misleading for us Texas folks. We have been using Mozambique tilapia successfully for many years.

Our stocking numbers are much lower as well as cost, except when high numbers are required in extreme cases.
Most years I stock less than 15bs/acre but last year was an exceptionally bad FA and upped the numbers.

Depends on supplier as to where the tilapia come from - mine this year were mostly female and full of eggs - excellent crop.
Cheers,
George

George, the reason why you saw success with Mozambique Tilapia is because according to Texas Parks and Wildlife, that's the only species that is legal for you to stock in your ponds.

It's been a while now since I've been playing with stocking numbers of Tilapia for algae control (not as long as Rex tho), and the reason (I believe) why we need higher numbers (per acre) of Tilapia than you do is that we have to wait longer in the year to stock Tilapia than you do. The FA gets a larger foothold, and takes more Tilapia per acre to get it under control.

Just like when Dave Davidson and Bob Lusk stocked tilapia at what I think was 10x the stocking rate that you are successful with, they didn't have success. The FA got way ahead of the Tilapia in their case. Same up North.

Tilapia cost more up North because of two reasons. 1) If you keep them over the winter, we have 5-7 months that we have to heat the water to keep them alive and flourishing in enough numbers to stock ponds. That takes energy, and energy costs $$. 2) If we don't overwinter the Tilapia, we have to buy them from some place down South, and have them shipped up here. Diesel fuel, insurance, O2, vehicle and equipment costs, and drivers wages all add to the cost that you guys down there don't have.

Scott, I know everything you are telling me - I just wanted to point out that tilapia information should be qualified as to region.
George

Speaking of purchasing tilapia up north, can someone help me locate and purchase some for my Michigan pond? I don't need adults/brooders, I just want to see how much they will grow and how much FA they will eat. I understand they will die in the fall. I don't have other predators and soon they will share the pond with minnows and other forage types. I'm assuming I'll source blue tilapia but I'm not that fussy. Looking to buy local but I'm thinking if logistics and cost make it too complicated that I may just have them shipped in as 1-2" size fish to keep cost down.

I'm thinking at the 1-2" size that 50-100 is all I'll spring for the first time around.

Other michigan pond owners who have tilapia care to comment? I think brian was trying to overwinter his in his garage/basement..how did that go?

haven't checked my water temp but we had 2 nice 70 degree days that I ran my aerator in the afternoon, but then daytime in the 50s for this week and overnight around 35F. Probably a bit cool in the pond yet.

For tilapia is it surface temp of 55 that is important or do they need fairly uniform 55 top to bottom? My aerator can help mix to some degree..

For fish that size I believe you're better off having them shipped. The fish that I have available are larger than that.

I couldn't agree more.




I agree with all your reasons and thoughts Rex, but perhaps I just lucked into a "good spotty bunch". Some businesses can offer good products at a cheap price, so not every cheap one is "unreliable" or bad. However, buyer beware. It did work for me, one time anyway. Did not have a single problem of anything you mentioned. Don't know what the future brings this year, or what I will be doing. I may experiment a bit.....

esshup, will you be trucking tilapia through SW michigan? What sizes or prices do you expect? You can PM me if you prefer as well.

What is your thoughts on the water temps?

Essup, please respond on here as I'm sure there are many that would like that info.

I don't think it is legal to sell tilapia to pond owners in MI. For those in MI wanting tilapia don't get your "hopes up". MI has some pretty strict rules about what fish are allowed in MI. More info is likely to follow on this topic.

Here is a little of my experience with tilapia. Not all tilapia are crated the same.
1. It is the babies or youngsters are the major consumers of the algae due primarily to their high numbers. If the young are falling prey to predators then algae consumption relies mainly on the larger tilapia adults. To get lots of algae consumed it takes lots of consumers. One fish can only eat so much each day.
2. Some tilapia species probably including the hybrids have different eating preferences. IMO some are better consumers of algae that others - similar to eating preferences of humans some don't prefer lettuce whereas other love lettuce.
3. Number and size of predators have a big influence on success of the algae consumption. If your stocked tilapia are food for bass then you obviously will not see good algae control. A dead tilapia eats nothing.

Example -last summer I put 10 mixed size pure blue tilapia into a 0.25ac pond that was developing a moderate FA algae problem and a developing blanket algae problem often called Lyngbya (Cyanobacteria) where the algae floats to the surface in dark colored gray green, cow patty shaped mats. Owner uses light dose of Aquashade. Three small patches of water lilies are present. This 13 yr old pond was newly fish renovated and restocked with just minnows. Lots of young tilapia survived. By the end of August this pond looked very clean almost like a swimming pool. No algae anywhere. I very rarely see a pond this old where the side rocks and bottom were so clean. Without predators of the baby tilapia practically all algae were consumed. The owner was very impressed. In early November when water temps dropped to 47-45F, I removed by hand around 3 gallons of small dead tilapia. Several of the original stocked tilapia were caught by anglers in October.

Michigan has added Tilapia to the Approved Aquatic Species list, yet there are so many unpublished entry requirements placed upon fish stockers, I know of no one that is crossing the State line into Michigan.

I MAY end up hauling into Michigan, IF the state gets realistic about their rules for entry. As it is now, the requirements needed are impossible to be complied with and would expose a hauler to violating the Lacey Act...a minimum $100,000 fine now.

George, Scott explained the cost and stocking amount differences perfectly. Also, as he said, Mozzies are the only legal species in Texas. Texas HAS established, year -round Blue Tilapia populations in some lakes....I don't recall seeing any established population of Mozambique's in the state.

This thread was specific to the northern climate, so there was no reason to differentiate by northern and southern climates.

Yes Rex, anyone posting tilapia advice please note northern/southern regional experience
Many of us in Texas pioneered using tilapia for FA control and forage and take them for granted. New pond owners need to know where tilapia advice is coming from.

We are well aware of of our Texas tilapia regulations, but thanks anyway..
G/

So is Tilapia the best way to control FA in east texas ponds?

I talked to Dr. Barr, and like Rex said, Tilapia are approved. Still doing the paperwork dance with Mi., and I have VM on my phone that I'm saving from some of the higher ups regarding regulations, on what is and is not required. I figure that once I'm good to go, if I get stopped I can play the recording(s) for the person and let them call the individual who left the message on my phone.

The prices are on the website, and are per pound of fish.I think it's pretty well spelled out.

Absolutely Bobby, but there are exceptions as Dave Davidson has reported, but that is the only one I have seen documented.

A little history of Texas Tilapia.
The first I ever heard of Mozambique Tilapia in Texas were developed and sold by Boatcycle in Henderson sometime about 2000+.
Todd Overton of Overton Fisheries quickly followed and has since been a major supplier in Texas.

Meadowlark, a one time PB contributor, was the first pondster that reported successful usage that I am aware of, and he used 10lbs/acre IIRC.
The following year per ML advice I stocked the same numbers successfully, but since based my numbers based strictly on FA problem and/or forage needs.

A report of interest - there was a meeting at DFW air port facility where a few early PB members attended, where a “heated” debate between ML amd Bob Lusk took place.
History has proven ML correct.

IMO, numbers stocked should be based on annual FA problem or forage needs by an “on the ground” competent fisheries biologist or experienced pondmeister.
George

Thanks George

Bill,
thanks for your story about good success in the past. I wonder if the floating puddles of matted algae I had may have been the lyngbya variety. Either way, the lack of predators in my 1/3 acre pond means that I might get away with a starting dose of 25 tilapia rather than 100... The other consideration is initial size. Economics say I will be better off shipping small fish and let them grow over the summer. Reproduction is not too important if they will all die in the fall anyway.

I plan to experiment and report back my success.. If they all die in the fall then I shouldn't expect a big difference in success if i get mozambique vs blue variety?

I don't know about that...The way I am understanding it, and the way Rex and others have mentioned above, is that the thousands of babies from reproduction is what will control the algae. Not the 25 small ones you are thinking about stocking.

Correct.

George, how many pounds per surface acre of Tilapia were stocked in your ponds last year?

Canyon, Mozambique die at 55 degrees, Blues die at 45, Moz can be safely stocked at 72 degrees, Blues at 62....Given that it is the offspring that do all the real grunt work (stockers SHOULD be too big to be preyed upon) you will be able to get benefits from Blues, at least 2 months longer....that is also up to 3 extra spawns.

Dying each year is exactly what is wanted so all that nutrient that was in the form of FA, becomes an edible form of nutrient, Tilapia, for the bass, bluegill, catfish, coons, fox, etc...

I'm not so sure about your "economics". Getting fingerlings, say 1-2" long, it will be a minimum of 8 weeks till you see a spawn, in a 1/3 acre pond, you would need about 15 pounds of large stocker fish, which will begin spawning immediately and repeatedly when first stocked, so you will not lose that 2 months of algae consumption. Prices would be very similar as fry/fingerlings shipped for Aquaponics use are very pricey.

Small fish are similar to paying for 2 months of weekly fill ups in your car, yet it isn't driven.

Scott, I don’t look at lbs/acre as much as amount lbs tilapia per pond to control FA or limit or increase forage biomass. It all depends on how much water is the a drought ridden pond and how the situation looks to me and discussion with Overton as to his recommendation.

My earlier report of this year’s stocking numbers was by total lbs/pond and not surface acre ……
“Most years I stock less than 15bs/acre but last year was an exceptionally bad FA and upped the numbers”….were based on this estimate rather than lbs/acre as quoted.

That is the reason I don’t like to mix northern and southern tilapia discussions because blanket statements as to lbs/acre just don’t work down here with constant variables.

You will laugh when I tell you that I only stocked 15 lbs total in our two acre pond this year due to very little FA and 10 lbs total in shrunken ¼ acre pond due to a FA explosion. By the way, they have done a number on the FA in the smal pond in only two weeks time. The BC in this pond will control increased biomass.


Scott, last year was a very bad year for FA in main pond and we stocked total of 25lbs in 2 acre pond and not so bad FA I little pond so only 5lbs total in ¼ pond.
I tend to stock very low numbers of large pregnant females and get quick spawns - I am very lucky to have a supplier that hand picks my tilapia.

Like our mentor says: “It all depends“.
Cheers,
George

Thanks George! Good information to know.

Scott, this tilapia subject has been interesting to me.
On site observation is an important tool for any stocking plan, especially determining sex of Mozambique tilapia for decision making as to FA and/or forage needs.
Adult Mozambique tilapia are very easy to determine sex as long as they come from the same water at the same time. Before discovery of single BC to control biomass in small pond, I would select all male tilapia .

That is the reason that you and others establish good relationship with suppliers to provide quality products to your clients.

Problem that I am hearing about now is fish trucks supplying feed stores inferior tilapia to sell at higher prices than growers.
G/

Does it matter if a northern pond owner (W Michigan) uses mozambique vs blue tilapia young to help eat FA?

You might get one more spawn out of the blues.

This tilapia post pertains to southern ponds only..

Our Mozambique tilapias were stocked 04-08-14 - stocked 10 lbs in badly infested FA ¼ acre pond.
This is what it looked like at the time.


This is what it looked like today, 05-03-14- it was cleaned up in about 2+ weeks!


This is what our neighbor’s pond looked like this morning - located at about 100 yds south with drainage into creek below our pond.




Magic Mozambique Tilapia!

George Glazener

George that is an amazing transformation!

When stocked in the correct numbers, they DO work as planned!

Yeah, normal tilapia stocking in that little 1/4 acre pond is 5lbs but FA was really bad this year so upped to 10lbs total.
Not so bad in big pond so reduced numbers - too many variables for going strictly by lbs/acre w/o on-site observation.
Really got some good tilapia from Todd this year - many large pregnant females in the mix.
G/

George...Walt Overton is delivering my tilapia Wed.

Got my albino cats delivered today.

We have had a couple of cold snaps and our FA has kind of died back a ways. Is the FA an early flush in the spring problem, or does it persist all year?

In other words, will my FA come roaring back as the water warms up more approaching summer? Water temp now at 68.

I hand pulled some out of shallow areas where I had gravel for spawning just to expose the gravel as the FA was matted over it. Along the steep sided banks the FA was never really bad but some about a foot out from the bank or so, and I never messed with it. All of it has seemed to die back somewhat, although it is still there. The wind and waves seem to play havoc with it and roll it up in ropes.

Currently it is not at a level that I'm worried about. The FA is full of life and little critters. Just wondering if I need to be worrying about it exploding in growth.

My FA has gone crazy in the last three days with this recent heat wave, we went from the highs in the low 70s to highs in the upper 90s. 101 for a high today so going to keep a close eye on the pond and see what the FA does.

That is kind of what I was afraid of but my wishful thinking was hoping for a different outcome.

I was afraid it would come roaring back. We had freezing temps just a couple nights ago (not good on flowering wheat) and now we are predicted for highs in the 80's.

I got a feeling I just witnessed the first salvo of the FA and it is just resting up preparing for its second run on my pond.

If it comes back may try some hydrated lime, and I wondered what sprinkling some salt on it would do. Salt should not hurt the pond?????? and might even be good for the fish. But salt is hard on certain type weeds. Probably more wishful thinking.

Since my name has been mentioned a couple of times in this thread, let me offer these thoughts about tilapia.
As I recall, my "heated debate" with Meadowlark was about the merits of using tilapia in bass-crowded lakes. My logic, at that time, was, "Why stock a fish that breeds a lot, and then dies en masse, into a crowded bass lake?" My logic was that we have a lake where the forage fish can't possibly keep up with those 12-13" gangsta bass as it is. So, we artificially prop up the forage fish population with tilapia, grow those bass into 14" overcrowded bass, the tilapia die that fall, the food chain immediately collapses and we are worse off than before we started. Now, we have more pounds of bass per unit of water and there's an immediate collapse of the food chain. That was my logic. Heck, it made sense...
I was wrong.
Here's what really happens. Stocked at least ten pounds per surface acre, Mozambique tilapia, in Texas, begin reproducing at heavy rates. As they spawn and spit out the babies, those young fish feed in a slightly different niche than other species of babies being hatched. Over a few months, the fishery accepts these young fish and they, in fact, become a key part of the food chain for largemouth bass. (We are working on a very cool research project which will help prove up this truth) As the summer wears on into early fall, what I didn't think about was the statistical odds of higher survival rates of young of the year "native" forage fish.
Here's what I've documented through electrofishing surveys for the last few years. In overcrowded bass lakes where we've stocked tilapia, we're seeing marked survival of young of the year bluegills where they ordinarily would have disappeared much earlier in the year.
Another unfounded fear I had was that each fall we'd see thousands of dead fish and my clients would be upset at that sight.
I was wrong.
What actually happens is that, as the water cools, tilapia become sluggish. When that happens, bass gorge themselves and get another growth spurt. While we often see some of the originally stocked fish full grown die each fall, it's not nearly the numbers to cause a client any angst.
While all this is happening, young of the year bluegill are enjoying higher survival rates and growing into sizes that our bass can use throughout late fall and winter.
Bottom line, from experience...bass grow and bluegill have better survival rates.
Oh, and tilapia eat algae, too.
Not sure where the reference to Dave Davidson and I came from regarding the stocking rates for tilapia to eat algae, but I've bought into the general rates of 20 pounds per acre for algae control. I've seen it over and over for the last 10 years or so.
I am now a big believer in tilapia to help renovate a forage fish population and to control algae. I've not really experimented with stocking rates for forage fish compared to algae control but I know, for ponds with moderate amounts of algae, 10 pounds per acre is often not enough. 20 pounds seems to be the magic number in these parts. I'm in no position to debate beyond what I know works.
Guess I wasn't wanting to take anyone's word for it...until I tried it myself.
Lots of people have lots of theories...and sometimes a person has to do it himself to be sold.
Oh...and it should go without saying that overcrowded bass must be culled along the way.

Don'tcha just hate it when that happens? Have it perfectly, logically, figured out, and it is wrong?

Happens to me all the time.

Bob, that 70 pounds is what I stocked before calling you in. And, one of the homeowners stocked some more.

Hope this does not take us to much off base, but I see the discussion of Blues and Mozambique Tilapia.

Do we have anyone on here that has used the Niles in their ponds? If so what have you seen as far as algae or reproduction?

MRHELLO, Nilotica's (Niles) don't do very well at all for algae control. They have a narrower food preference, reproduce less often, become sexually mature FAR later than Blue or Mozambique, and still die at the higher water temp range of the Mozambique.

This lower and slower reproduction rate is why Niles are the preferred fish for food production. That is also why one should use great care if using a food fish producer's stock for algae control.

Grorge1.. I'll have to show you what badly infested really looks like this summer lol..

Also, those little "blues" are quicker than lightening.... They can move quicker than your eyes can follow them. I put fatheads in my pond every spring and fall (just to feed all of the predators). I have seen the fatheads swim right in front of a bass and get gulped.

Predators have to earn their dinner on "blues" in warm water .

Let me start by saying, I am going to try being informative here and offer my opinions, experiences and personal conclusions based on my experiences and pretty extensive research. I will do some ranting, but please, remember the rants I will make are not meant to create any ideological debates.....

Meadowlark's posts are what inspired me to get interested in Tilapia in my pond as a "natural", no labor involved algae control. Bad thing was, ML insisted, often not at all politely, that only his way worked. ML, like Bob said of his own early tilapia logic... was wrong. What worked in ML's ponds, didn't do much in most other's ponds. Still, I will have to credit the man with posting some of his experiences that began changing my life and career dramatically!

Once I got interested in Tilapia as a possible solution for my personal pond's issues, it didn't take much research to understand Mozambique just didn't make economic sense to use outside of Texas. In fact, more research showed me Mozambique were not a wise choice anywhere north of the 30th parallel. As most here know though, in Texas, ONLY Mozambique are legal, but I ain't in Texas.

I was so engrossed with researching Tilapia! I was reading every spare moment I had! (I almost hate reading) I posted my excitement here often, shared my new-found knowledge and more every time something made sense to me. I asked tons of questions and for other's inputs. It was ewest that asked me on simple question that nearly stopped me in my tracks. Eric asked in a thread, if Tilapia were legal to stock in Missouri....my eventual answer after reading my state's wildlife code....uhhh, well, uhm, hmmm....nope!

By this time, I had spent hundreds of hours reading and comparing research papers. Every word I could find on "Tilapia" I digested, mulled over, and asked myself questions about. I consciously decided that there was no way in hell I was going to now know so much and NOT find a way to put all I'd learned to work....Tilapia were a perfect answer to a lot of pond issues, FAR more effective and FAR less harmful than many repeatedly used chemicals that would only recycle original problems while creating new, bigger problems! People deserved the chance to use a Tilapia that would work for them!

I brainstormed, asked endless what if's and learned what many pond owners never think of...my epiphany?...changing even one bacteria in a pond will change that ponds dynamics forever. It was then that I started piecing together how Tilapia in a pond would NOT be a threat as so many so called research studies claimed. I started making sense of the misleading and confusing research....I saw most were manipulated to produce pre-determined conclusions.

My what-ifs began to challenge conventional logic...it no longer mattered what tilapia ate according to some theory in a bureaucrats paper, what mattered was what Tilapia did...IN THE PONDS. What REALLY happens??? Tilapia eat, digest and extract nutrient from things in a pond NOTHING else can, from damn near anything (that's why the perpetual readers in power decided tilapia are such a danger). They reproduce like crazy too!! Normally, that is a very scary thing in a pond, (another huge red flag for the readers in charge of us), but not with Tilapia...They DIE each year where we want to use them! That death and their eating what almost nothing else can is what makes them so VERY special and powerful as a management tool. Tilapia are like a missing link in the Pond's ecosystem that truly supercharges it's potential to support life. Take THAT, Darwin!

Tilapia take hundreds, even thousands of pounds of inedible bottom waste that can actually poison a pond, and they eat it! You can say, Tilapia actually reverse the ponds aging process! Better yet, THEY EAT ALGAE!!!

Dudes, freaks, fellow pondmiesters...I was ON to something!

I told anyone that would listen, I asked tons of real world experience questions. what answers were not known, I put fish in water, or others did, and we started getting answers...Answers we could replicate, over and over and over.

Was it scientific?? WHO CARES?!?!? Letters after a name do NOT mean you have any claim on knowledge, fact or accuracy. This Degreed, High School Dropout, was proving a lot of names with PHD, MS and others should have been F's...cause, they were VERY wrong! Suddenly, this dummy had a passion...a passion to learn everything I possibly could about Blue Tilapia and way more than I wanted about many other Tilapia!

By this time, maybe after a year or more of near constant research, I had ended my successful 26 year career in the Auto Parts industry...I knew I'd get blackballed for reporting my CEO for Ken Lay, Enron style fraud and stock manipulation, but hey, I slept better at night knowing my integrity was back intact! AND I could study more about tilapia with the extra, good nights of sleep!

I then completely dove into researching all I could about the different species of Tilapia, a genre of the cichlidae family (African Cichlid) and I quickly realized 3 things.

First, virtually all published research on the species was for use in the food fish industry.

Second, ALL the research I found pertaining to Tilapia being invasive was blatantly ideologically biased, and based on purely hypothetical, theory, isolated short term observations and non-relevant data (such as describing what one species does by observing an entirely different species), Using multiple species to make claims on one species, or even when actually based on another species (ie a study on T. Nilotica [Niles[ using facts about T, Aurea [Blues]). Most "studies and claimed "research" I read was pretty obvious to a reasonable person, that it manipulated or ignored facts, used hypotheticals and theorized to create a desired conclusion. When read fully, it can be difficult to agree with the conclusions made even with the "facts" they'd print.

Here is a representative GOVERNMENTAL sample of what I found in the way of misleading, confusing and flat out false information. This is the "study most prohibitive state biologist use to ban Tilapia in their states...It is rife with citing "personal communications", saying "perhaps", "may" and "possibly" have established populations. http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/factsheet.aspx?SpeciesID=463

What I find most interesting about Blue Tilapia in the USGS report is near the end under the heading of "Impact of Introduction". It states, "It has invaded the Taylor Slough portion of Everglades National Park where it is considered a major management problem for the National Park Service (Courtenay 1989; Courtenay and Williams 1992).". Yet after the extended cold snap of 2010, I KNOW the National Park Service restocked over $75,000 worth of Blue Tilapia fry and fingerlings after they were all but eradicated that year ( saw the check!)...(Perhaps they just didn't want to lose the annual $750,000 for Tilapia eradication budgeted for the glades, or perhaps they saw the explosion of aquatic plants choking the glades return that once tilapia established, Tilapia had been controlling said aquatic vegetation, and the NPS had previously spent millions losing the plant control battle that was filling in the glades)

Here's another representative sample. This is a publically funded "study" on Blue Tilapia http://www.tsusinvasives.org/database/blue-tilapia.html again combines a report on one species, with other species, plus contains outright lies in it. Here is an excerpt that does both in a single sentence..."If two species from the genus hybridize, that can increase their survivability and expand their invasive range - See more at: http://www.tsusinvasives.org/database/blue-tilapia.html#sthash.2eyyFj7R.dpuf "...First it adds other undisclosed species that could hybridize...second, since this pertains to Blue Tilapia in the "study", ANY hybrid of a Pure Blue, RAISES the minimum cold water tolerance and would REDUCE it's potential establishment range.

There are almost endless examples of these biases being regurgitated to promote PITA-like agenda's. Does the ends justify the means...you can decide that.

The numerous research examples were mind boggling to me!

Thirdly, of the several dozens, if not hundreds of studies I'd read, I can NOT recall more than 2 or three that did any ACTUAL observation OR forensic causal study when claiming Tilapia displaced native species of aquatic life. To the contrary, virtually every study based its "facts" on unsupported "facts" contained in cited studies or the myriad of "maybe's" exampled earlier.

No offense to the small bit of GOOD science I could find out there, but clearly personal, ideologically motivated mis-statements of "facts" are pervasive, at least when it comes to native versus non-native species. IF the motivations are not ideologically driven, the authors are at a minimum, misrepresenting claims of fact and conclusion, basing their claims on, provably or proven inaccurate, data.

Meadowlark had some insight with his playing with Tilapia in his pond. George1 has possibly fallen in love with his Mozzie's and how they help him manage his pond for years now. George was also an inspiration for me, though I admit, I enjoy our occasional "debates" too! Todd Overton has been a leader in finding what that magic "suggested stocking rate" was for various goals, in Texas. Todd has also helped steer my path, when, and in ways I needed. Bill Cody has recorded a myriad of observations on what Tilapia eat and create in sport fish ponds. It was Bill that mentioned some of my Tilapia theories to someone that was my first, and remains my major purchaser.

I, with the help of each of those just mentioned, along with many others, and THIS website, took using Tilapia WAY beyond Texas and not only created and expanded an entirely new market for a much more cold tolerant species in northern waters, we are continually discovering new facts and still disproving long held "invasives" research all the time!

I can say that "technically", Tilapia DOES displace at least one genre of a "native aquatic species". In REALITY, contrary to the PAPER studies, when stocked properly, in the right sizes, species and numbers, Blue Tilapia north of the 30th parallel and Mozambique Tilapia south of that line and in all of Texas, WILL, simply stated, knock the holy crap out of most algae's and detritus, and increase the health, size and numbers of nearly every other species that "science', for years, has claimed the T will displace!!!

Tilapia are NOT a magic bullet in a pond, but I know of no other management tool that can do more good, be more versatile on goal attainment and produce more, larger fish for less money, NO labor or long term risk in a sport fish or trophy management pond. Supplemental feed alone can't do what tilapia can, aeration alone can't do what tilapia do, adding additional forage fish can't, beneficial bacteria alone can't do it!

Tilapia are a simply amazing tool! It is sad that so many states are controlled by backward, ideological, uninformed, unwilling, and/or authoritarian regulators that prevent the private pond owners of their individual states from having Tilapia in their management arsenal when wanted and needed.

The topic of this thread began asking "Tilapia Cost Questions". The answer depends! Actual dollar costs vary based on species, availability, order volume, transport and production expenses. those cost can be as low as $2.00/lb for a wholesale, 1000 pound order of food fish hybrid Niles that are virtually useless in a pond for algae control and/or forage production, to $40/lb for pure strain Blues that are custom stocked based on an on site survey, goal assessment and guarantee of annual goal attainment.

A better answer to this particular question would consider your particular pond, available sourcing, location and desired goals, then compare the cost of an annual Tilapia stocking to the seasonal costs of aeration, feed, chemicals, labor, etc.....you will almost certainly discover that at even the highest price I know of, $40/lb, you will spend less on tilapia that you would on "traditional" controls to attain your individual goals.


I wish I could name all those involved that pushed, challenged, questioned, doubted, supported, and helped me in countless ways...God, my partner Cathy, my daughters and grandkids, Bill Cody, Bob Lusk, Dave Davidson, Meadowlark, George, Scott (esshup), Eric (ewest), Dave Willis (amazing man!), Sunil, Todd Overton and Todd3138, Theo, Jhap, Dwight, TJ AaronM, Nate and Justin, Shawn Banks, Cecil...and every single member on this forum still with us or looking down from heaven now...Each one here, named or not has made a huge difference, for the better in pond management...the list will never stop growing...

In no way did I do this alone! I may have put a lot of it together and created a lot of infectious excitement, but every member here that helped me in some way, either directly, or even telling a friend..."try tilapia for that!".

My "Company Logo" is a cowboy, riding a Bucking Blue Tilapia. It reflected my Cowboy attitude and the rough ride I knew the fish business would be.

That ride continues....Thank God the new ride has air suspension to cushion my butt a little more now!

As for the Cowboy attitude? Well, it's still here, I don't get bucked off easily, but that will become another story for another time.......

"Changing one bacteria in a pond will change it's dynamics forever." How?

BTW, well said and done.

Mr Lusk? Can we add a one finger emoticon for Dave's question?

Thank you sir!

wow Rex that was educational.

it seems my Tilapia survive at least 6 months of the year,
I guess if they were Blues they'd go 8 months or more?

Very nice read Rex. Thank you for the time that it took.

I highlighted the one part above because for those that are reading this and only interested in what the cost is. I thought you really summed it up pretty good with that paragraph.

Here is a really well done video about stocking Tilapia in ponds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJBjcTB4KhE

In Texas? YOU would get 8 months, or more!

They go in the water 10 degrees cooler and last 10 degrees cooler than Mozambique. Sexual maturity and age are near the same, yet you can expect 2-6 more late season spawns in a season from Blues. Since these late spawns include not only the stockers, but also surviving, matured YOY, the last spawns are MASSIVE just when the MB and other predators prepare to gorge on the lethargic buffet.

In Alabama, in your latitude, 10 months survival is pretty well expected for the Blues. Mild winters get an occasional overwintering population. There is no reproduction in late fall and winter due to an inadequate photoperiod, so most get consumed anyway when lethargic.

Rex, this in response to your previous long response. I think I learn something from you almost every time you post!!! Thank You "buddy" . Now nod your head, tell them to pull the gate and hang on for the longest 8 seconds of your life.... If you get in trouble, some of us "rodeo clowns" will help you out .

So will Niles eat anything else that is in the pond if not the algae? I may have to find another source for my Tilapia this year then. Maybe I have received some hybrids before. Not too sure they care for the algae but they reproduced well in my tank. That is what makes it bad when you do not know for sure what you purchased.

Legit question... I've seen them fight over crawdads that just shed... Anyone have a list of types of algae that the "blues" won't eat?

Oh, by the way, we had some friends over last fall and they caught a couple nice ones using turkey bacon. I've never caught one out of my pond (except with a net).

No algae I know of to put on a list. I think Bill Cody even saw them consume Blue/Green algae. I'll let him say if they were a toxic variety.

I am sure Niles eat many things in a pond, it is the comparably inferior reproduction rates and narrower preferred foods that, again, by comparison to Blue or Mozambique Tilapia, make them a far less economical "goal to cost" choice in a pond, but preferred choice in food fish aquaculture.

Mudhole,

I sent you a PM. I have the cheap Tilapia hookup and a good way to transport them.
I'm in Mebane also.

Ryan
Nine one nine two 36 3312