The PondBoss Family has been so kind to my family this past year, we want to try to re-pay some of the kindness. So....
Up for auction are 100, three to six inch mixed sex Blue Tilapia brooders, including the shipping. With shipping, this is almost a $500 value.---For non-PB members that is!
"Bidders you agree to keep them in a closed Aquaponic or RAS type system or you must make sure that Blue Tilapia are legal in your state for release into open waters or otherwise comply with your state's law."
These are Blue Tilapia (T. Aurea) and are NOT hybrids or crosses This species of tilapia are very rarely available to the general public. I think a few here will be happy to tell everyone about their voracity! Blues can survive in water temps as low as 48 degrees with death occuring at 45. Most all other tilapias die at 55+ degrees.
Highest bid posted before 10pm CDT on May 22, 2009 wins.
Lets raise some money!
Let the bidding begin!!!
Wow, this is like staring down my favorite run with a 12" of fresh powder...first crack.
This is not meant to offend you Rainman - just to get the ball rolling and leave room for lots of other bids:
BID: $25
Rainman,
What's the minimum the overnight shipping alone will cost you?
I'd be interested in helping but the pond is empty for the time being and business has flatlined recently.
I'll bump it to 125.00 for my first bid........
Sorry, didn't mean to retract my $101 bid...anyone have a clue how much weight Bob has lost? I think I'm on the hook for some cash there too.
Bid $130
My blues are robust and growing rapidly. They're almost impossible to kill (if ya don't freeze 'em)
Shipping date is whenever the winning bid wants them to arrive.
Cecil, if you want to bid I'll hold them till next year if you like..............Only a small $10 per day storage fee, but ONLY for Cecil!
As for shipping price, I'll show you mine if you show me yours! UPS, FedEx, and Cargo Portal Air Freight Services statements that is!
Wow, this is like staring down my favorite run with a 12" of fresh powder...first crack.
This is not meant to offend you Rainman - just to get the ball rolling and leave room for lots of other bids:
BID: $25
My wife lovingly refers to me as her "little burnt-up dude with a crooked nose" and you think placing a low ball bid will offend me?????? No way! I'll only triple your price when you want some!
My blues are robust and growing rapidly. They're almost impossible to kill (if ya don't freeze 'em)
Or starve them into cannibalism!!!!!!!
Come on you guys, don't you realize that these are SPECIAL tilapia? Offered by RAINMAN? What do you think they've been eating for the last six months?
I'll go to $200.00 for these beauties, nurtured as they have been on minced Lepomis cyanellus.
Very generous offer Rainman. I wish I could stock them in Northern California. They wouldn't winter over but they'd be good food for my bass and they'd learn some manners swimming with 10 to 11 inch GSF.
Very generous offer Rainman. I wish I could stock them in Northern California. They wouldn't winter over but they'd be good food for my bass and they'd learn some manners swimming with 10 to 11 inch GSF.
JHAP - My feelings are still bruised with your denial of my request for pic of "That Which Lurks Beneath the Water". I just thought I'd note that.
BID: $201
The truth is TJ I don't have the photo you're talking about. This is one of my, ahh, slightly altered photos, how's does this do?
Very generous offer Rainman. I wish I could stock them in Northern California. They wouldn't winter over but they'd be good food for my bass and they'd learn some manners swimming with 10 to 11 inch GSF.
No doubt the tilapia would learn manners from the mighty GSF! Like not leaving crumbs behind after devouring the GSF!!
I visited with our aquaculture specialist here at SDSU, and he confirmed that small fingerlings of blue tilapia go for $3-4 each. He also indicated that pure blue tilapia can be difficult to find. Tilapia are good at turning nearly anything, such as decaying plants, bacterial growth on the plants, etc., into tilapia flesh, which can of course be converted to largemouth bass in ponds!
The truth is TJ I don't have the photo you're talking about. This is one of my, ahh, slightly altered photos, how's does this do?
You're a good man, JHAP, but this is more like "That Which Lurks in Canoe". I know BSKI has it, but I'm probably far better off walking away lest I incur the WRATH.
The truth is TJ I don't have the photo you're talking about. This is one of my, ahh, slightly altered photos, how's does this do?
this is subtle but hilarious
Anybody in Ohio want to split with me for the next bid???
We're going out to dinner... Check back later.
Here's a pic of 2-4 inchers going after some Aquamax 300 grower pellets.....Some of these will go to the winning bidder!
So, I won the auction? Suh-weet. Informed wife her hair appt is cancelled pending TP delivery as I'm diverting funds...she wasn't very happy and wants to meet the impetus for this bidding madness - that's you, Rainman.
Honestly, how long is the auction running? Just curious...
"Highest bid posted before 10pm CDT on May 22, 2009 wins."
Thanks Esshup. I take it that was posted and visible on every PC but mine.
So, I won the auction? Suh-weet. Informed wife her hair appt is cancelled pending TP delivery as I'm diverting funds...she wasn't very happy and wants to meet the impetus for this bidding madness - that's you, Rainman.
Honestly, how long is the auction running? Just curious...
I never mind getting yelled at by pretty women!
Thanks Esshup. I take it that was posted and visible on every PC but mine.
Maybe for a reason??
Thanks Esshup. I take it that was posted and visible on every PC but mine.
Maybe for a reason??
Yes, for a reason - a treacherous reason. If you all have to resort to pig latin, subterfuges, and other "behind the back" invisible ink tactics to leave me out of the loop maybe I should just take my baseball cards, army men, and PB Subscription and go home....
This entire episode really underscores the importance of thinking before one speaks or poses questions. I'll admit I'm poor at this, maybe the worst on the forum, but I'd like to think my fishiness makes up for it - in part, at least.
Thanks Esshup. I take it that was posted and visible on every PC but mine.
Maybe for a reason??
Yes, for a reason - a treacherous reason. If you all have to resort to pig latin, subterfuges, and other "behind the back" invisible ink tactics to leave me out of the loop maybe I should just take my baseball cards, army men, and PB Subscription and go home....
This entire episode really underscores the importance of thinking before one speaks or poses questions. I'll admit I'm poor at this, maybe the worst on the forum, but I'd like to think my fishiness makes up for it - in part, at least.
TJ, I can't even tease you by saying I suckered you in for the first bid before putting a deadline in! It was there and seperated into it's own line from the opening bell.
Thanks Esshup. I take it that was posted and visible on every PC but mine.
Maybe for a reason??
Yes, for a reason - a treacherous reason. If you all have to resort to pig latin, subterfuges, and other "behind the back" invisible ink tactics to leave me out of the loop maybe I should just take my baseball cards, army men, and PB Subscription and go home....
This entire episode really underscores the importance of thinking before one speaks or poses questions. I'll admit I'm poor at this, maybe the worst on the forum, but I'd like to think my fishiness makes up for it - in part, at least.
TJ, I can't even tease you by saying I suckered you in for the first bid before putting a deadline in! It was there and seperated into it's own line from the opening bell.
Okay Rainman, this veiled "compliment" is code for....what? There go the army men...
Code for THANKS! You broke the ice with your first bid and it went higher in one day than I ever expected it to end at!
Actually, I think Scott (eeshup) ought to place a bid. Heck, if you don't need them in the pond you could always use them at 500-1000 yards to play with the new toy!
Just kiddin y'all...sure Rainman, I'd be damned proud to have your TP foraging in my ponds...and will someday one way or another.
How many TP would you think a guy needs to hold back for aquarium if he wants to have a nice population to restock in their ponds the following spring? Meaning - one male and one female can produce X amount of viable offspring?
A 6 ounce female will produce 300-500 viable proginy every 5-8 weeks- a 1 pounder probably well over 1000 each spawn.
Keep 2 spawns from around October- December and you can have fish one 12" come May with 82-85 degree water and lots of feeding opportunities. For optimal growth, feed fry powder to about 1.5 inches constantly, 1.5-3" fingerling starter 10-15 times per day all they will eat at each feeding, 3-5" switch to fingerling grower(Like they haven't growng the previous 4 weeks!)to about 7", Then start with 3/16-1/4 floating pellets and increase to 5/16 pellets at around 12". All the feed I use now is Aquamax. The powder, strater and grower are all sinking carnivorous feeds and all the floating feeds are for omnivores. In a pond they pretty much eat plants unless a tasty GSF swims bth to become a toothpick.
I promise I would never sell any offspring from Rainman brood stock. I'm just trying to convince Mrs Hudson to allow me to get aquariums rolling which she'd probably have to clean.
Rainman:
I think the fish that I picked up from you a while back will do just fine. I haven't been able to get them to grow much, probably because I can't keep the water higher than 72*. I'll try throwing in the 2 other heaters that I have and see how that works. 650 watts just isn't cutting it when the temps at night keep dropping down into the low 40's or even the mid 30's. The hot water works for a day, but I seem to lose one or two fish when I do that.
I can't use the fish at a distance because the gsmith said the toy probably won't be finished 'till labor Day or thereabouts. The hold-up is the receiver, Nesika is running WAAYY behind schedule and mine's 5th in line.... He does have everything else, so once the receiver arrives he can get moving pretty quickly. I could switch to a BAT receiver, but the Nesika is a bit smoother and it'll have a 20 MOA picaninny rail built into the receiver. The scope is a Nightforce 5.5-22x50 NPR1 reticle, Manners Hunter Ultralight stock modified to accept the tactical adjustable cheekpiece, Lilja 28" 1:8 3-groove barrel, his Allen Precision Shooting Painkiller medium muzzlebrake, Angle Cosign Indicator, Scope Level, Harris 9"-13" HBLM-S bipod (w/swivel lock), Jewell Trigger (adj. down to 2 oz) and the receiver will be cut to fit a detachable box magazine as well.
I just hope that it'll get done so I can get some trigger time and verify the drop charts (providing I get the tags pulled!)
Best of luck everyone. I have to bow out due to the wife not wanting tanks in the house at the moment.
I visited with our aquaculture specialist here at SDSU, and he confirmed that small fingerlings of blue tilapia go for $3-4 each. He also indicated that pure blue tilapia can be difficult to find. Tilapia are good at turning nearly anything, such as decaying plants, bacterial growth on the plants, etc., into tilapia flesh, which can of course be converted to largemouth bass in ponds!
Current high bidder is TJ at $201.
Who's willing to go higher?
A 6 ounce female will produce 300-500 viable proginy every 5-8 weeks- a 1 pounder probably well over 1000 each spawn.
Keep 2 spawns from around October- December and you can have fish one 12" come May with 82-85 degree water and lots of feeding opportunities. For optimal growth, feed fry powder to about 1.5 inches constantly, 1.5-3" fingerling starter 10-15 times per day all they will eat at each feeding, 3-5" switch to fingerling grower(Like they haven't growng the previous 4 weeks!)to about 7", Then start with 3/16-1/4 floating pellets and increase to 5/16 pellets at around 12". All the feed I use now is Aquamax. The powder, strater and grower are all sinking carnivorous feeds and all the floating feeds are for omnivores. In a pond they pretty much eat plants unless a tasty GSF swims bth to become a toothpick.
Sex easy to determine?
Sexing the tilapia is easy to determine for about anyone but me.
I only get it right about 50% of the time when the fish are under 7 inches.
$250
Smallmouth are getting tired of the GSF.
That's interesting Pedro. Has anyone tried tilapia w/ SMB?
$250
Smallmouth are getting tired of the GSF.
That's what we need! Great bid AND GSF carnage about to happen! Thanks Pedro!
If you are still high bidder by the auction end tomorrow at 10PM CDT, I can deliver them personally. I will be delivering 600 to a pond in Edwardsville around noon Saturday the 23rd. You'll only be 20 miles away.
That's interesting Pedro. Has anyone tried tilapia w/ SMB?
As of Monday nite, I put 300 of Rainman's beauties in 3acre, 14 month old pond with SMB, YP, BG.
We'll see what happens!
I let 25 go today, I'll keep the rest in the 300g tub for a while longer. The temps are finally getting to where they'll grow pretty quick, and I want to see how fast they'll grow!
The Winner of the 100 Blue Tilapia is .....PEDRO!!!!!
$250.00 for the Jesse West Foundation.
Thanks to all the bidders!
Congratulations. You got a great deal in two respects. Good price, and good cause.
I personally delivered Pedro's new little friends Saturday, and they were very pleased with their beautiful new home!
A big thanks to Rainman for his efforts to help the fisheries science students at SDSU. Also thanks to all who joined in this effort and Pedro for the purchase.
A sincere thanks to Rainman for his generosity!! Thank you, Pedro, for your support as well.
Eric, Bob and I have a long-term goal of gathering sufficient "capital" so we can financially support an ongoing assistantship for a graduate student who would concentrate on pond-management-related graduate research. We're making good progress!
We also plan to get the 2008 and 2009 beneficiaries of the Jesse West endowment to Pond Boss Conference III. We'll have both extremes in our educational program: one is a top-notch Ph.D. student, and one is a top-notch undergradaute student. Maybe we should make them wear a t-shirt with Jesse West Endowment on it?
Dave
A real stand-up job by Rainman! Kudos to Pedro, too.
Heck, I was away from computer for a couple of days and didn't even know I'd won them. Finish running the dogs sat morning and have message on my cell from the rainmaker. Needless to say I was pumped.
Met Rex and his two daughters down at the pond and we dumped his babies in. They're beautiful fish, and even though I don't have a big FA problem, interested to see what effect these few will have in the pond.
Thanks Rex, very nice of you to go to all the trouble. Greatly appreciate it.