Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Corrective stocking Water temperature to stock talapia

At what water temperature can I safely stock Tilapia? My temperature is hovering around 50 degrees.

What type of tilapia are you stocking? IIRC, anything under 55 is no good for most tilapia. Water temps should be well above that so they don't die if another quick cold snap hits. I remember a few years back, it froze in south Texas in early April. Our water temps were warm enough that they stayed well above 55, but the frost sure confused all the spring vegetation.

Davatsa: Good info. on temperature, thanks.

I don't have a source for Tilapia yet so I don't know what kind are available. I assume Mosambique are the easiest to get.

I just spoke to someone else about Tilapia and he told me that he has "heard" that Tilapia create huge holes in the lake in which to spawn. Some are as big as a 55 Gallon drum. Has anyone else heard this? I am not sure if this is good or bad.

Bing

Okay, everybody, who is it in Missouri that has (Blue and Red) Tilapia that they can't legally release into their pond? Those fishies needed a home.

Theo: Thanks for the memory jogger. I do have a note on him, just forgot it. I will contact him when the temp. warms up, but he has sold some of his and they may not be available 15 degrees from now.

I'd still like to know if anyone has heard about the spawning beds as large and deep as 55 gallon drums.

Bing

IIRC his Blues can go in if it's above 45 degrees.

My limited experience has been that they create a round, 4 to 6' diameter depression, feathered at the edge to 4 to 6" deep in the center. That was after two years worth of continuous spawning.

I am a real newby but I have stocked talapia several years. I live in Texas so the water gets quite warm. I was told by my fish source not to stock until May 15 when the water will be over 65 degrees because I have a lot of bass. At the end of the year around Nov 15 there is a die off and I do not see any small Talapia because they have slowed down so much the bass has eaten them. The buzzards have a good time with the big ones though. I was told to use my boat and go around the edges and net the big ones when they have slowed down so much.

That would be me Theo!

Bing I pm'd you several times but you never responded. I tried again and left my phone # as well.

These blues and the few reds I have are growing like crazy!