Gallop, do you remember what size your tilipia were when they started reproducing? Did you buy ones already large enough to reproduce?
I just bought fingerlings (1") because a place had them that was within driving distance and my wife and daughter wanted a road trip to KC anyway. I knew they would never get big enough to be of much use for algae control, but got them more as a novelty and get a little experience with them. If I like them, will probably try to get some breeder size next spring to go directly in the main pond.
My largest ones are at least 5" now and I wonder if they are not getting close to spawning size/age. Right now about 95% of what I have are in ponds with no large predators. When they get spawning size would like to get at least quite a few of them over into the main pond so they could produce some LMB feed with their offspring before winter. The ones I can't catch will continue to feed and try to capture them about November when the water cools for human consumption. At least that is "the 'current' plan". The tilapia may have plans of their own.
Those little suckers are like rockets. Early on I trapped a few when they were about 2" in minnow traps to move some to a larger environment and also netted some out of my wifes 5'x10' concrete pond by the house where we raised a few for a while. Those things would jump out of the bucket like nothing. Was fishing in the sediment pond today (to sample my RES growth) where most of the 5+ inch ones are and must have spooked one near the shore. It flew out of the water, clearing the water no more than a foot, but traveling horizontally in the air about 8 feet before entering the water again and zoom...... gone. They will come right up to me when in the 4 wheeler but if I step out they keep their distance about 10 feet. Will eat pellets up to an imaginary line, and then sit and wait (while stealing an occasional pellet) till I back up or leave. They are a curiously unusual fish. In this hot weather/water, while the BG languish in the heat of the day, the tilapia seem to just hit their stride, moving around the pond all the time looking for something to eat. I feed them every time I go around the pond (sometimes 3-4 times a day) and they always seem hungry.
They have been fun. Don't know how I'm going to catch some to transfer, but hopefully with a seine or lift net or something. The ones in the pre-sediment pond should be easy (famous last words). It is only about 20x40 and I should be able to seine it easily, even pumping it down a little if needed. The 1/10th sediment pond is going to be more of a challenge.
I have a few in the main pond as I transferred some there at the 2-3" stage. But I think the LMB got most of them. Figured they would. I see a few of the whites left and can't tell about the blues. The blues look too close to the BG to be sure and since they are few in number the tilapia tend to school with the BG in the main pond. So it is hard to make out if I have any blues in the main pond or how many.
It has been an interesting experiment. So far, glad I did it.
Last edited by snrub; 08/08/15 09:48 PM.
