Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Tilapia

I have a pond with tilapia i just found out. Today i was netting and i caught one. I dont know what species it is or how they help my pond. I was wondering what the basic things about these fish. (forage, spawning, size, more pictures, sporting qualities, etc.)

They eat algea, algea, and more algea(including blue-green algea). They are an excelent forrage fish because they spawn like mad and have alot more meat on thier bones than most other forrage fish(I,ve heard up to 4 times as much protien per weight than shad or shiners). They also make a great aquacultre fish because they grow fast on on low protien feed and make nice fillets. The problem with them is that they die when the water temp gets down to the mid 50's and they're an exotic species so you need a permit to stock them. If you want more detailed information you can look on a web site on raising them for aquacultre.

-Scott

Sounds like good idea to have them. Thanks for the info.

I just keep reading good things about Tilapia. I am going to buy 20 of them this weekend and put them in my pond (3/4 ac)to test their cold hardiness. They should reproduce at least once this year and if some make it, I may have a cold hardy tilapia on my hands in few years. The water temp gets to about 50 deg F at minimum here, so I may have a chance. If they don't make it, I would probably prefer that, because than I would have better control over them. How do you catch something that eats plankton? This may enable me to have some LM Bass. It is going to be interesting.

The current issue of Pond Boss mag. had a good article on Tilipia.
Ric

Yes, I read it, as well as lot of other articles on the web. I am worried about introducing a species that reproduces so prodigiously, so I am trying to find the downside to it before I am stuck with it.

So far I read that they reproduce so quickly that they overpopulate and don't reach eating size.

When I do want to catch some, what would I use for bait to catch a plankton eater?

The pray predator ballancing act will occur much faster and will have the potential to get out of ballance.

More fish will mean more waste and I will have to get an aerator.

Looks like it's a go.

I asked the tilapia question in the past and Mr. Lusk advised me to think very carefully about it. He said you can create a biomass problem with anything that overpopulates.

i will probably catch flak for this but i will give you my honest opinion of the tilapia. STAY AWAY FROM STOCKING THEM!!!!! They are in direct competiton with your bluegill for spawning space, biomass, and when they have efected your bluegill numbers negativley the tilapia die and now you have an absence of forge for all those bass you fattened up over the summer.

I was thinking in moderation they would be benificial. Stocking adults in small ponds (where the water temps will get below 50 deg in winter) of say 4 per acre should provide extra forage without any chance of over population. ??
Ric