Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I'm looking for a source to buy some breeding age fish to raise enough fingerlings to add to a system I am building this spring. Any help would be appreciated... PS, only sources I've found this time of year are across the US... looking for something closer to home...

good luck...Tilapia in the north are hard to find. Janet might be able to give you a source who will ship to you but it won't be from your neighborhood. Are Tilapia legal in Michigan?

Not sure if legal, but They will be in aboveground tanks enclosed in a greenhouse, so there won't be any issue of escapees I Have a source with the local DNR that will help me out with the legal aspects, and he is actually looking forward to somebody in the area getting some going. Tilapia fillets are selling for almost 7$ a pound ... on sale! Personally, I am looking for these guys because I'd much rather eat those than goldfish! My main project is setting up the hydroponic garden within the greenhouse.. so worse case scenario is I have to use blue gills and catfish...

See the first section of "Tilapia for Us (USA)"
http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum ... .php?t=935

Valmeyer, Illinois is as close to you as I know of. When I talked to them this time last year, they were hesitant to ship in winter. See what they think these days.

Well if someone from DNR is helping you, one would assume that in his view things will be alright raising Tilapia in Michigan.

its pretty much what I figured. With the winters we have up here I doubt that any could survive if they got loose anyways. We got about 14" of snow yesterday

You wouldn't think it would be a concern that far north. However, Valmeyer in Illinois was being very careful about who got live fish. They must have some legalities about stocking them outdoors, because they were careful to confirm that I had an indoor system for them. The only thing I can think is that if the fish could locate a warm discharge of water from a nuclear plant or something, they actually could survive the winter, and then spread our come Spring to wreak havoc. I also think our government officials have too much time on their hands.

True.

I agree with you there! The precautions that I've outlined and submitted were something like this..

24x40 greenhouse
Covered until inside temperatures become too warm to support plants and fish with vents and fans running, then roll up the plastic and put in the bird netting for venting and to prevent critters (birds included) from taking off with fry or larger fish and accidentally transplanting them somewhere else.

I do have a couple of ponds across the street, but would much rather collect tadpoles and duckweed to transplant into my system. By the way, anybody have any luck feeding tadpoles to larger fish?

As an avid fisherman I know beyond any shadow of doubt that tadpoles are excellent bait for predatory fish like bass, muskee, pike, large bluegill, etc. Great source of nutrition (high in protein and fat) as well.

Of course it would depend on the fish your raising whether or not they would be good feed.

Toad tadpoles maybe...big ole' fat frog tadpoles, maybe not so much

HIJACK! [schild=11 fontcolor=000000 shadowcolor=C0C0C0 shieldshadow=1]yay[/schild]

I'm looking to start some tilapia fry in a couple of weeks..

This spring I figured I'd just mosey across the dirt road to the pond, net in 1 hand, bucket in another and catch me as many as I think they could eat. I'm putting in a kiddie pool (round blue thing about 4' diameter) at ground level to encourage the froggys and mosquito larva... then net and pump all into the system. Tadpoles for larger fish, larva water into the fry tanks......

Ummm Tilapia are vegetarian for the most part..... I think. You would do better bringing home some algea though it would be better to grow yor own rather than introduce suspect sludge into your system.

Bring home a handful of duckweed and raise that for your tilapia. Yummy!

even better.

not meat eaters eh.. rats, i was hoping they were more like their cichlid cousins from the fish tanks this a ways. Duckweed is definitely on the agenda.. and I am not going to build a lil sludge pond, but someplace convenient for the mosquito larva to proliferate