Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

My system is now cycling with 5 fed goldfish in a 1000l tank, so I'm keen to get some fish. Looking for some advice on species and suppliers. would prefer local but will look interstate. like the look of goldern perch but seem to be sold out. Also like the look of Jade perch but not sure if it might be too cold were I am (Blackwood).I've been happy with trout in the past and can get them locally, but we are just coming into summer...


Any suggestions?

Hi I am at Broken Hill and also chasing some fish I contacted the fish farm there in Adelaide who have put me on a list for Jan but really want to get things humming before that. Thinking of doing some travel to catch some redfin I have been keen on using this breed all along and have had my tank and beds sitting over at the coast at my farm for two years now. I finally have my gear here really want to get the show going local pet shop wants $5 each for gold fish..

yep, technically we are sold out, just have a few bigger fingerlings for people who really need to get going now before the new stocks become available in January. 8 - 9 cm silvers are $4 12 - 15 cm are $6 very limited numbers.

Both Himzo and myself tried golden perch but weren't able to keep them alive. Even the supplier (Aquablue in NSW) advised us against them. But having said that, I would still consider trying them again sometime in the future.

Got a number for some silvers from a supplier near Melbourne though havnt called them yet have to build grow bed stands and do some plumbing. I also after an aerator for tank that I guess is around 1800litres

http://www.guppysaquariumproducts.com.au/air-pumps/electromagnetic-piston-pump/electromagnetic-air-pump-40l/min-outputs-aco-02/prod_577.html


This will supply plenty of air for that tank - run it off an inverter and car battery for a good backup air supply.

Excellent great price was looking at something similar at $85 bookmarked it in my fav's. Will check out thier other stuff too

+1, I will be getting more in the future

I actually wound up getting a second lot from Ausyfish, but didn't get them until Feb of last year which didn't give them enough time to build up enough for the over wintering. They nearly made it, but the cold snap we had last August knocked them out. These were already weaned onto pellets so were feeding prior to the colder weather moving in.

My system will be going through some major changes in the near future so I will probably just stick with the trout, gold fish and silvers I have at the moment, until it's all rebuilt.

Himzo.

Thanks for the replys,
I had the impression that golden perch were more tolerant of the colder wether, dosn't bode well for Jade at all. I think ausyfish don't have stock of golden, aquablue might. My current water temp is about 17. Not sure wether to give the golden a go or search harder for the silvers. I was a bit dissapointed with silvers slow growth in the past.

Goldens wont grow faster than Silvers... probably slower...

Most native fish are a 18-24+ month growout... the exceptions... Jades, Barra & trout...

I tend to be the type of person that just gives things a go, so I realy want to try the Jades..sigh.. has anyone tried them this far south?

Realistically I think I'll start with the silvers to be safe and add trout in Autum. I've been checking out the Aquablue website freight section and it takes 3 days+ to SA. Do the fish survive that long in transit? (havn't actually checked avaliability yet anyway)

yea feel the same way about the redfin Tell me no good in AP system and not allowed to have them?? Just makes me want to try a few! Bit of Ned Kelly in us all . Eh?

Yeah I though the same with black bream too. 100% mortality during winter

Silvers are great. Catfish are fun as well but not sure of there growout.

I don't know about the species of catfish you guys have over there but the Channel Catfish we have here in the USA grow out quick enough. We have already eaten plenty of the catfish we got Last November So definitely possible to get a 12 month grow out from the more advanced fingerlings (prices here on catfish fingerlings is also pretty good. 3-5 inch for 30 cents each and 5-7+ inch for 60 cents each with a $30 minimum order) We were actually eating a bunch of the 5-7 inch ones we got only 6 months or so after getting them when we needed to cull the stock.

Channel catfish are a warm water fish but they seem to survive just fine at lower temps, they just slow down on the eating and growing over the cooler season.

Personally, I think the catfish beat the mixed gender blue tilapia for growth rates in our sub-tropical climate, things might be different if we were in an actual tropical climate with all male tilapia.

I'd be interested to hear some about Australian catfish and what they are like.