Originally Posted By: Stressless
OK, I'm tracking again, thanks for taking the the time and putting this info out there. The pond in question is not the swimming hole, and we've never pulled FA or chem treated it. I was looking for a no-chem way to add a forage base and treat the light- mild FA that occurs on the pond. I would say the underwater attached weeds are 7/10 of the weed base.

SO the FA isn't "Bad" enough to warrant treating with chems and could be controlled with TP. My estimate is the pond, 1.25 acre 15' might be better served adding 3500-4000 bullhead minnows $350-400 there is plenty of cover, as they may last beyond a year and be a forage base for BG, CP, LMB all in that pond currently.

TP are enticing but seem cost prohibitive on a yearly basis... going a bit light at 25# that's $475 / year for TP. have ou heard of Bullheads reproducing past the stocking year - creating a self sustaining population? I do not want to get into feed, feeders etc, I am trying to introduce a organic, lowest touch maintenance way to bump the biomass up in the ponds and create additional forage. TP ,if costs were better seem like the way to go.

Thanks and please bear this NEWBI//



Stressless, I understand your questions on Tilapia and looking for a sustainable forage species. Minnows, even Golden Shiners will only feed small fish, and not grow you many over 1 pound...the minnows are just too small. Tilapia ( I only supply/stock the coldest tolerant pure strain Blue Tilapia) will produce 100's of pounds of forage fish annually, plus Tilapia become the primary forage species, so after the fall die-off, you have far more BG to supply fall/winter forage. To get the equal amount of forage from a minnow versus Tilapia, you'd have to spend several thousands of dollars compared to under $1000.00 (corrected by BC) for tilapia annually....With Tilapia, you also get detritus (muck) reduction if stocked properly...There are many benefits with Tilapia....FWIW, all mixed sex suppliers in Ohio use hybrid or mostly male "food fish"....They get stocked later in the spring, die earlier in the fall, and produce less offspring than pure blues.

Last edited by Bill Cody; 12/27/18 10:10 AM. Reason: Corrected dollar amount as per below