Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Renovating a Pond or Lake? Will tilapia clean up the muck without aeration?

Interesting question, Nathan, and one for which you may get varied answers. Tilapia are notorious eaters of just about anything in their path, I think. If there is limited other food available, they may well turn to the muck, as long as it's organic muck and not just mud/silt, for a food source. Some have mentioned on here being aware of tilapia consuming a large amount of bottom muck in ponds, so there is at least some anecdotal evidence of them doing so. Whether it's ever been documented is something I don't know, but somebody probably has an idea on that. Rainman would be one of the best to answer this question, so just hang on until he sees your post. Again, though, I would have to guess that muck would be a sort of last option provided that there were no other sources of preferred food available first.