Pond Boss Forums FISH & FISHING Fly Fishing & Other Fish Species Tilapia with Black Crappie?

I have been reading some really great info by everyone posting benefits of stocking taliapa in BG/LMB ponds. Does anyone have Crappie stocked along with tilapia? Will the tilapia out grow too quickly on what a crappie mouth gape can consume.

I would say a big factor would be what size crappies do you have in the pond? If you have a fair number of crappies over 12" with some 15"+, then you shouldn't have an issue.

Snakebite, since a crappie has a much smaller gape than a LMB, I see no issue and logic would suggest more T outgrow the BC gape than do a LMB.

Also, the vast majority of Tilapia offspring are consumed in the .5-2 inch stage by all piscivore in the water and once Tilapia reach 4 inches, they are generally evasive enough to escape any predation.

CJ my uncle has a few large mixed BG/LMB/BCP/FHC/CC ponds in the 2-4acre range. Most seem to have done well with no additional help to produce 1-1.2lb crappie. Last year he dug a 3 acre pond some 10 to 35 ft depths. Stocked 15lbs of FHM and 40 adult BG. Waiting on water to clear before any more stocking occurs. Regular feeding occurring .

He is wanting a fully sustained new crappie pond with no other predators . I was telling him about the benifits in using Tilapia in other types of situations. He asked if using tilapia would help the BCP putting less pressure on the BG YOY. His ponds get fished a great deal normally twice a week per pond.

If my goal was a crappie pond, I would look at forage diversity. Along with the FHM and BG I would without a doubt stock GSH and grass shrimp.

I would also strongly look at stocking LCS. I think they could be an excellent forage fish for crappies. I think silversides are also a huge forage option for crappies, but the only species commercially available are inland silversides and they can only survive in areas where TFS can live.

I would most definitely stock GSH, I will contact him on the grass shrimp, unfortunately TFS have not done well in his ponds and die out quickly when cold snaps come through.

Only place I know of that sells grass shrimp is Fattig's in Nebraska. Worth the effort!