Hey folks, raining here so I'd thought I'd post a question for those of you that have used and are currently using Tilapia in your pond.
Maybe I'm anxious, maybe I'm a worry wart, maybe I'm just plain crazy..
It's been two weeks since Rex delivered 40 pounds of Tilapia to my pond (50 years old a little over 2 acres, 20+ foot deep at the dam). Every day I look for 'em, haven't seen one yet...I'm a little nervous cause the temps took a dive last week and we had some pretty cold nights for two or three days last week. On a good note, I have not seen any floaters so I'm assuming they are all still alive and well. I also have not seen any significant changes in my FA, granted it's only been two weeks but yet to see any changes, like I said I'm probably just being anxious..
So I guess my question (which is in there somewhere..lol) is how long is it or was it until you noticed considerable results from your Tilapia stocking? And why am I not seeing the little fellers? What do ya'll recon they are up to?
snide, Its kinda like waiting for water to boil. Go out and take some pictures of your algae and then maybe once a week this summer. When you get your pictures developed, you'll see a big difference. Also when the spawn starts growing, it will go a lot quicker.
When the water is a little warmer, you'll notice them more in the shallows making nesting sites. And they do make big nesting sites. I had a couple last year that were as big as a garbage can lid.
I can't help answer the question but can say hang loose does give some good advice. Take a pic of the same area. Over a period of time, you should see improvement. The change will be so gradual, you won't be able to notice it just by looking every day.
Rex stocked mine yesterday. I stocked them a couple of years ago and saw no gradual results. Mid summer we had a downpour that sunk all of the algae and it never came back for the rest of the season, so the jury is still out. Round two, let's keep each other updated.
2008, 2011 & 2012 conference attendee. Striving to be the person that my dog already thinks I am.
Update, almost a month with the Tilapia and I've been watching, like a Hawk...Have not had any rain for the last two weeks, and the surface Algae mats have dissipated, little by little, day by day....As of right now there is NO visible algae mats on my pond. I see the Tilapia more often along the banks, they scurry off in a hurry (they are one fast fish, make Bluegills look like slow pokes) I even "think" I have seen some small ones....I now KNOW for certain the Tilapia have played a huge roll in the elimination of the algae....It's obvious to me now that this is not an overnight feat, but if given time and you have enough of em for the severity of your situation, they will hammer the stuff....
snide, that's good news. I stocked 34# in a .8 ac pond that has an algae problem, and I hope they work as well in that pond as they did in yours. I had Rex drop 15# in my pond, and for some reason the algae mats are getting bigger along the shore. 2 weeks ago I finally booted the geese off of the pond for good, although I had to chase one off the pond last night.
Maybe I needed more in my pond? I haven't seen any except a few orange ones that he threw in my pond. But in the pond that I stocked the 34#, I caught 3 of them not an hour after stocking when fishing with a Stubby Steves pellet for goldfish.
34# in a .8 ac pond!?! They should do a number on that stuff. I believe in 'em now for algae control, but here is what I "think" is happening..I don't think I started seeing results until they started breeding, I think that maybe the fingerlings or little ones have been devouring the stuff (algae) and this is why, I was at the Pond tonight and I was looking at one of the last remaining small FA mats near the bank on the very shallow end of the pond (it was about 4'x4')I saw a Tilapia sitting off to the right of this FA mat, the large one scurried off when I went closer to look, and when I did look I observed (guessing) one hundred of small Tilapia diving in and out of the mat, I also noticed the larger Tilapia return as if it was guarding the small ones...Was it the small ones gnawing away at the FA mat like termites? That's what it looked like to me....I dunno? Is this how it works?
Yup, 34# in .8 ac. The pond has had a chronic FA problem, and was hit on a monthly basis last year with Copper Sulphate. I'm unsure of the predator base, there was a very large winterkill in the pond 2 years ago and I haven't been able to get any stocking info from the owner. There's tons of 2"-3" BG, & quite a number of goldfish. Supposedly there are LMB, SMB, BG, a handful of WE and CC. I'll be back there tomorrow to see if I can catch any other fish besides BG and goldfish. That is, if I can get to the pond. The area had 4" of rain last night and the surrounding streets were flooded a couple of feet deep. Hopefully the new TH feeder isn't submerged!
Well good luck with that one, I'd say that they will do their thing, I know my algae didn't just dissipate on it's own...The only thing in the pond that could have done it is the Tilapia....Keep me posted!
That's what I'm hoping for, is that the Tilapia will control the algae. They aren't doing the best at it in my pond, but I stocked light and the LMB might eat a lot of the smaller ones. That's O.K. I need to get the BG population up. I think the LMB really hit 'em hard this winter and Spring with the water being low and little cover for the fish.
The durn geese brought in duckweed from the neighboring pond (I'm talking about my pond here) and it's starting to grow and multiply. I'll hit it this weekend with diquat and mix in a wee bit of algacide in the tank to give the tilapia a head start.
That Algacide may help like you said (give 'em a little assistance) Yes, I stocked 10 pounds heavier than Rex initially told me I needed, I figured I was going to be going to war with FA, and I wanted to stack the deck in my favor..lol Honestly I think for a pond such as mine (that has never had any corrective measures taken in the past)it certainly don't hurt to stock the Tilapia towards the heavy side. I also went with the bigger Tiliapa to avoid the LMB from eating them up.
I have seen a couple Canadian Geese on my pond from time to time, I know they will eat young Cattail starts (seen 'em) and the wife likes having them around (says they are pretty to look at..lol) however, for reasons such as you have mentioned, I run them off every chance I get and they sure are defiant! They need to go peacefully or I'll resort to fireworks..
Questions: Have you seen any evidence of your Talipia already breeding? I am seeing what I am almost certain to be very small Tilapia along my shallow pond banks...and I guess my only other question would be, now that all the surface algae mats are gone, what are the Tilapia eating, I guess there is still plenty of FA type growth under the surface? You think they would have went at that first before hitting the surface FA, or maybe they did?
No, no evidence of them breeding yet. No signs of nests, and no little ones. But then again, my water is stained from tannins, and visibility is only 24" or so. Rex threw in a couple of orange colored ones, and I can see them cruising around the perimeter of the pond. I have good LMB population, so I need Tilapia at least 6" too.
Once they eat all the FA, they will eat other plants and sift thru the detritus on the pond bottom. That will help reduce the level of muck on the bottom.
I stocked that .8 ac pond extra heavy for the exact same reasons that you noted.
I saw one orange one with a brood. Saw a couple of blues and a couple of orange ones picking off a few pellets. FA is about 4' to 5' out from the bank around most of the perimiter of the pond. Maybe more than 15# are needed in my pond?
One factor that might be contributing to the FA is that there aren't any submerged weeds in the pond this year. With the water being so low late last Fall and during the whole winter, I think most of the submerged weeds were killed. Nothing other than the marginal plants and FA to utilize the nutrients.
It's a survivor. Honestly, I don't know. Rex or Weissguy would be better at answering that one. Rex was delivering the fish and asked if I minded if he put them in. I know that they won't last in the pond as long as the pure Blues that he put in, but I didn't really care. I think there's 3 or 4 of them in there.
The "orange" Tilapia are a morphed color of Mozambique hybrid...sold commecially as Cherry Snapper and was once sold fraudulantly as Red Snapper till the FBI shut down the nefarious perps.
I have shipped 1000's of "Red" Tilapia to Hawaii...it seems to be the most popular tilapia there...in fact, Hawaii buys about 90% of all Reds sold anymore.
The picture I added does not do justice to the bright coloring similar to Goldfish or Mollies...Many will get black blotches and look as pretty as many Koi even.
The pond has had a chronic FA problem, and was hit on a monthly basis last year with Copper Sulphate. I'm unsure of the predator base, there was a very large winterkill in the pond 2 years ago and I haven't been able to get any stocking info from the owner. There's tons of 2"-3" BG, & quite a number of goldfish. Supposedly there are LMB, SMB, BG, a handful of WE and CC. I'll be back there tomorrow to see if I can catch any other fish besides BG and goldfish. That is, if I can get to the pond. The area had 4" of rain last night and the surrounding streets were flooded a couple of feet deep. Hopefully the new TH feeder isn't submerged!
Honestly, I don't know. Rex or Weissguy would be better at answering that one. Rex was delivering the fish and asked if I minded if he put them in. I know that they won't last in the pond as long as the pure Blues that he put in, but I didn't really care. I think there's 3 or 4 of them in there.
