Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Corrective stocking Tilapia success

I have to thank Meadlark for putting the bug in my ear about the Tilapia. Has worked well on the Fil. Algae problem. Three tanks (or ponds) now look terrific. My question is , when do you see them? I saw a few the first month or so, but none since. The cast net brings up bluegill but no Tilapia. There are some fairly large bass but I can't see how they could get many of them this time of year. They are extremely fast and some were too large to be eaten at the time I put them in the water. By the way I also had problems with milfoil and that is no longer a big problem. There are carp in the tanks also , but they were they were there before I put in the Tilapia and did not control the milfoil. I can only guess the Tiplapia may be eating that also. I am rambling but just thought some might have some of the same questions and thoughts. Anyway, they are great. Now I hope they die off and feed my bass. Might not be so bad if a few survived and I did not have to buy them each year.

casca,

Glad to hear they worked for you.

You will see more and more of them when the water begins to cool...especially look for them in shallows on days following fronts. The shallows warm up first and are preferred spots. This is the time when they can be caught, at least it was for me last year. Get them in shallows away from the BG and have your way with them. :p

Let's compare water temps and behavior as the fall progresses...maybe more data will help add to our understanding.

I will check it and report what I see. I only check surface temps. because I don't have any thing to check deeper. Do you just use a surface check?

Yes, mostly just a surface check in fall and winter.

Meadowlark,

Forgive me if this has been asked before but is there any particular strain of talapia you are using? Does it make a difference for filamentous algae control?

I'd like to try then in conjucntion with grass carp next summer. I'm hoping with grass carp consuming macrophytes and the talpia working on the filamentous algae many of the nutrients may go back into phytoplankton.

Cecil, I see that ML has not posted since last Thurs...I suspect he is a little busy after Rita. I'm pretty sure he purchased his tilapia from Overton's, as did I, with real good success on filamentous algae. Mozambique Tilapia is what Todd sells. http://overtonfisheries.com/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=74

Cecil,
I believe ML said earlier that only the Mozambique Tilapia were legal in Texas. I have the nile and they eat essentially the same things. I developed filamentous algae after a cast netter removed about 60% of my tilapia and within 2 days the the next generation stepped up and wiped it out.

Mozambique Tilapia are the only ones legal in Texas. Algae is not a problem in my pond after I stocked them two years ago.

Cecil,

Just to add to the good answers you've received. The combination of Tilapia and grass carp works really well for vegetation control. They are very complementary in that Tilapia will eat what grass won't....especially algae.

I'm not aware of eating differences among the various types of Tilapia, only familar with Mozambique.

Here are pics of mozambique tilapia showing sex characteristics. We've seen famales as small as 3" with eggs, and males as small as 5" showing sex characteristics. FYI

Female Mozambique

Male Mozambique

Todd,

We've had several posts questioning the ideal size of Tilapia for stocking in existing ponds with predators. I've taken the "uneducated" position that 2 four inch Tilapia are preferable to 1 eight inch Tilapia because of the reproductive characteristics and a "feeling" that Tilapia predation on initial stocking doesn't seem to be overly severe. I think Texas715, for example, takes the other approach feeling that the 8 inch size is preferable.

What are your thoughts on optimum stocking size for Tilapia as a forage supplement and algae eater in existing predator based ponds? I qualified the question because no doubt if you want Tilapia for personal consumption, the 8 inch stockers will grow to much better size by the end of the growing season.

p.s. Casca, not trying to hijack your thread, but wanting to get more info out to everyone.

Since the mozambiques are mature at small size of 3"-5", this is the best size to stock. This way you get more like 20 fish per lb...making them approx $.50 ea instead of $2.50 ea. They are very quick at warm temperatures and will readily spawn. It helps to have a bloom, turbid water, or at least marginal cover for best survival rate. We recommend stocking at least 10 lbs per acre, sometimes much more with heavy predation expected.

I must emphasize that if juvenile bass are overpopulated before stocking tilapia, it is likely that they will eat fry and small fingerlings so quick that they hardly have time to grow to beneficial forage size...leaving bass just as skinny as ever.

However, if bass juveniles aren't overstocked, tilapia grow so fast that they'll readily produce perfect size forage for summer/fall bass growth.

We've seen this on our farm, first hand.

I thought I had mentioned it, but I went with the larger ones so they would survive. At the time my pond was heavily over populated with LMB that in my opinion would have made a quick snack of 3-5". There was very few forage to be found at the time. I didn't want to waste the money.

So here was the "Time and Patience" plan. I went with only 100 eight inchers, cost was less then stated previously, to see the results. Implemented a nightly feeding program in hopes of monitoring them. The feeding turned into a catfish feeding area for the first three months. It took about 3-4 months for me to start seeing the tilapia kicking in. More and more small ones started showing up. Luckly the tilapia made it through the winter and the spring started off with bang. Not only where the tilapia starting to spawn around March but there were now redears, which I had never seen, spawning later that spring. Bluegills started to be seen in much greater nubmers. Now the waters are alive with all types and sizes and the bass are doing much, much better on 18 months.

This is a short summary of what I had done and the results in my pond. Just wanted to give you my why, what's and results.

TEXAS715,

Sure sounds like you did it right for your situation...proves again that there are no universal truths/rules, just use good common sense.

I've also seen the positive effects on BG you mentioned. Tilapia really take the pressure off.

You must have some huge Tilapia by now with winter survival? 5 pounders? more?

I've caught three big ones. They were 18", 19" and 22" with the largest weighing in a 5.75lbs. I have some close to that size feeding around the dock that I will try to catch and post pictures.

Todd, no problem at all. The more talk the better. Texas15, what part of Tx are you near again? I am wondering if some of mine might survive the winter. My water is near Nixon , Tx.

Guess I better check closer before I post. I meant no problem to ML since he got me on to this Tilapia business, which I appreciate, and Texas715 is who I was asking where you are? Jeez, getting older by the day.

Casca,

Don't understand the reference to problem to me. Did I miss a post? Or another slam from Georgia?

Casca,

I might be right around the corner from you. I'm just north of Nixon. How's your pond doing at this point (water level)? We should get together sometime to do some comparing, a little field study.

Tilapia have a good chance of surviving but there are factors around here that will help or hurt (depth, water source, mild/severe winter).

When I responded to you I used Todd's name that you were addressing on one of the posts. Nope, no one is ragging on you lately. Give it time.... . And texas715 you can e-mail me at mdonovan@satx.rr.com anytime and I will also give you some numbers to call if you want. Ofc toll free is 1-877-640-0858 and home is 210-633-9472. Keeping in touch and exchanging info is the only way to keep abreast of this fish game. Will be glad to to you about what I see and know. Been real dry near Nixon this year and out of four tanks only one has a well to keep it's depth in check. By the way my name is Mike Donovan if you call.