I have read about Tilapia and I would guess they are legal. I'm not sure on the cost of Tilapia but I know they would have to be restocked every year.
Tilapia breed readily in captivity. In fact, if you had room anywhere for a small aquaculture set up you could breed your own every year and it would cost next to nothing.
You could grow about 250 tilapia up to about a pound and turn them out in the pond in the spring. They will spawn like crazy.
Phil, Tilapia are unrestricted in private TN waters...
As for growing 250 tilapia to a pound or so will definitely cost you way more than "next to nothing". Depending on many factors, you need a LOT of filtration, containers, energy for heat and pumps, food, a huge time investment, etc.
An SWAG start-up cost to raise 250# of tilapia the first time (IF you have tanks, plumbing, pipes already lying around)...$6000
Yes, they DO spawn like crazy, and that spawning will become part of the 250# in the form of 1000's of very small fish in. Growing same sex tilapia to a pound in captivity is fairly easily done, growing mixed sexes to a pound...virtually impossible in tanks.
