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Jan 10th, 2023
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Joined: Jul 2010
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Hall of Fame 2014
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Hall of Fame 2014
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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?
Fishing has never been about the fish....
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Joined: Sep 2011
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Joined: Sep 2011
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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.
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.
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Joined: Jul 2010
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Hall of Fame 2014
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Hall of Fame 2014
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Here is a really well done video about stocking Tilapia in ponds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJBjcTB4KhE
Fishing has never been about the fish....
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame  Lunker
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
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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? 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.
Last edited by Rainman; 05/09/14 07:02 PM.
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Lunker
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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 .
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Lunker
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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. 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.
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Joined: Sep 2008
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Lunker
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Lunker
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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. 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).
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 7,099 Likes: 23
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
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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.
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 7,099 Likes: 23
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 7,099 Likes: 23 |
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. 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. 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.
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Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 277
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Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 277 |
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
Last edited by Clay N' Pray; 06/16/18 06:29 AM.
Half acre 30 year old farm pond, Mebane NC. Aeration & feeder. LMB, CC, SC, BG, HBC, two no account welfare carp and nine seasonal Tilapia that all the other fish are terrified of. 
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