Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Corrective stocking tilapia question

I have followed the stocking recommendations from Bob Lusks book Raising Trophy bass.So far everything has been growing tremendously.This spring I want to stock my pond with tilapia to better control algae and to also hopefully put some good growth on my channel cats and bass. The only problem I am running in to is how many tilapia do I need to stock for my pond that is just over 1/2 acres. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. One hatchery recommended 700 per acre but that sounds like way too many especially since i have heard that tilapia spawn rapidly.Thanks for any suggestions.

I'm sure you're aware of the NCSU website:
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/nreos/wild/fisheries/index.html
They recommend blue, & red belly talipia. They also list suppliers in NC. for tilapia.

If you can't find what you're looking for there e-mail Skip Thompson with the university: [email protected]

Thanks. I have found some different companies that can stock tilapia in my pond.I just did not feel comfortable with their recommendation of 350 tilapia per acre. Do you know what would be a proper number for a 1/2 acre pond?

I am just re-gurgitating here, but I thought Meadowlark had mentioned in a previous post, it was about 10 lbs/acre.

Hopefully, he will correct me if I am wrong, or hail me for the plagorized prince that I am.

I think ML said that he figured 5 lbs. per acre ought to be OK. Those things are prolific.

newpondowners,
No I don't. I'm thinking though that it will probably be more than what is normally stocked down south as we have a shorter growing season. Send Skip an e-mail. He can answer your question. I would also check with the 3 Talipia suppliers listed on the website to get their recommendations.
Please if you would report back here what you find out.

Ric has given good advice talk to an expert in your area. Stocking rates depend on species (tilapia sub-type) , size at time of stocking ,what fish (and size) are in the pond , its fertility and water quality and if you are feeding.

thanks for all of the great advice. I will check with the 3 suppliers listed on the website and I will also check with some of the local suppliers then I will report back what I found out. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

Our normal recommendation is at least 10 lbs per acre. If you know that your lake has high numbers of small (12" or less) bass then you'll need to thin them out first or stock closer to 20 or 30 lbs per acre. Your initial stocker broodfish need to be at least 3"-4" in length and you'll need to have a plankton bloom going when you stock. I don't know what to expect in NC, but would bet that you get at least 2 spawns out of tilapia before cool weather chills their drive for reproduction.