Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Joyce,
The state gov's here have not made Talapia illegal just to be difficult, the Talapia when established in creeks and dams destroy the local native species. We have had a disaster here in the eastern states of Aussie with the introduction of the European carp which has decimated the native species wherever it has established itself. For once the Gov departments have acted well... It does not happen often, but this time they got it right.

We are blessed here in Australia with some unique and wonderful native freshwater fish, such as the Jade and Silver Perch, Murray Cod etc..

I was involved in a fish farming project in Papua New Guinea about 15 years ago using Talipia.
They grew at an astonishing rate and were fed on the pressings from the oil palm mill nearby... The project was very successful... initally anyway....but that is another story...
They are a good species for the purpose, just not here in Australia.

Muzza

MUZ, I wouldn't say easy to breed, i'd say quite hard with out hormone injections. But it is possible. I know a few that are going to try.

I agree with oyur ideas on the natives, its just the re-stocking issues. Not that they even cost that much, i guess its a self sufficient goal thing

Thats why i'm particualrly interested in the tand. tand.

I'll post a research file that i obtained regarding breeding oz natives, circa 1960's work, but very thorough and i found it an easy read. Jades should be the same as silvers as far as breeding requorement.....might be wrong though. I'll post it soon.

Steve, obviously it is a whole lot easier just to buy the darn things, especially in the minute quantites we "Backyard Aquaponists" will use, but to be able to breed your own, that would be a great thing to do.
To aquire that knowledge would make the hobby that much more interesting.
I am looking forward to seeing the article you are talking about.
The guy at the hatchery I got my Jades from said that they will no longer be breeding Jades as (he said) Jades are just too easy to breed, and lots of Aquaculture blokes are now breeding their own.
So, who knows ! It will be fun finding out how it all works.
Muzza.

Maybe i'm mistaken muz, i know that commercially silver perch are injected with a hormone to induce spawning. I assumed jade perch may have been the same. Maybe Ausyfish can carify this for us.

I agree, it is nice to "just be able to do it" Thats the sort of person i am too

I have up loaded the file, here is the link for it: http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum ... &file_id=7

pages 15 and 16 have a summary of the "unsual triggers" required for silver perch, but read the whole thing!

I not only want to breed fish to stock a system myself, but yabby too - I am told they breed easily enough in a large fishtank... as I have a pond system of 4 ponds, I can stock each with a differen type of fish or yabby, and have a choice in dinner items

Murray, I can surely understand the reason that Australia has had to put the restrictions on Tilapia that they are. There are areas here that are having the same problems. People who get "pets" and then don't want them turn them loose. We are having problems in the everglades with pythons killing off the allegators. Even monitor lizards are becoming a problem. So far I am glad that these fish are still ok to have here.
Joyce

Pythons killing alligators Crikey Joyce, that's one damn angry snake!!

its like that bad 80's film where the gator that some kid flushed down the dunny grows up to be some sewer monster............

think I will take my chances with the gator!

Getting back on track ..

Recently we had a bit of a media event ...

Powers that be were using explosives to destroy a feral population of geophagus brasiliai in Perth (I think that is what they were called)

Some are calling for a ban on Cichlids in general ...

Goldfish, Guppys, Swordtails can be just as much a danger to the environment.

IMHO, any fish or plant must be sold on condition that it is not let loose into the environment.

BUT .. and it is a BIG one .. How would you police that?

- Especially regards wind bourne seeds?

I expect fines for keeping prohibited fish are probably very much larger than being arrested for a drunk and disorderly charge, hitting a granny or being caught with some weed!

(BTW I hate drugs, but don't mind a few beers, and I can't stand cowards who attack old people, young people, vunerable people or the policemen and policewomen that try to serve our country!)

Wow, extreme measures, but often extreme problems require it.

I think a total cichlid ban is a bit excessive, its the ease at which some breed and their hardiness that is the issue, not the species as a whole.

careful, steve has a soft spot for them!!!

One of our local petshops has offered to take in all the fish people dont want/like so as to prevent them being released into the local streams - they are a great bunch of people (not to mention that they nurse them then resell them )

Not so much of a soft spot, i think johnnie has more than me!

LOL

I used to take fish that were getting to large for my tank, or ones that were to aggressive to my local aqua store and trade them for others. Never hurts to ask.