Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi
I'm thinking of commercial aquaponics project in California. Wanted to ask if there is a popular fish people use to raise in California doing aquaponics. I know that tilapia is iligal but what are the alternatives next to tilapia? What do professionals use?

Thanks

Professional aquaculturalists would probably stock Channel Catfish and/or Bluegill....

The blugill looks similar to the tilapia and wiki shows similar natural living. Do you think most aquaponics farmers use them for their system?

Bluegill are frequently mentioned by US aquaponic members....

Sacramento Blackfish - Ctenopharyngodon idella

This unique California native feeds on plankton and grows to 18 inches, these qualities making it one of the best tasting fish in the world.

or


Black Crappie - Pomoxis nigromaculatus

The crappie will reward the patient angler with its beauty and unrivaled taste.


Has anyone tried these species know for california, how are the fillets? are they easy to breed?

I've been thinking of redear sunfish (very similar to bluegill, but supposedly tastier). If I can keep my FT cool enough, I would *love* to have rainbow trout!

I would also like to know. Im in Butte County in CA so cant have tilapia

I have heard that Bluegill grow slowly. That would probably apply to crappie and redear as well. I also heard Crappie are hard to train to pellet food. I think Catfish, striped bass or hybrid carp. The black fish sounds interesting, but I dont know much about them.

If this is for a commercial aquaponics system and you want tilapia I would suggest trying to get an aquaculture license through the Department Of Fish and Wildlife. I am still new to the hobby but for me it came down to the pros and cons of fish I could obtain from a local source. I eventually chose Channel Catfish because of their growth rate and climate requirement.

not trying to be mean but if you are asking a forum what fish to raise for commercial purposes i think maybe you arent ready to go commercial, there is a lot of knowledge and skill you still need to experience at the hobby level unless of course you are independently wealthy and losing lots of money is no big deal to you then go for it. Please start a thread and post your progress, tribulations and successes so we can learn on your dime. Thanks in advance.

i remember a fly by night first and only post by a guy wanting people to donate to his kick starter that said that raising bluegill commercially was illegal in California and part of his plan was to lobby to make it legal.. i dont know if it is or not, but start with your DNR or parks and wildlife whatever cali has.

Good luck.

woah i just realized how old this thread is.. the fact that rupert had responded should have clued me in.. lol sorry for the bump