Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I have 30 odd barra. Purchased at 100mm in size. Pellet raised.

Water temps vary between 22 to 26.

Ph is 8.

There are about 3 or 4 that are feeding machines. Will eat and eat and eat. However most of the others are very picky and some are refusing to cave into the floating pellets. They will nose it, sniff it, touch it but wont eat it.

Can I assume at some point all will gradually start feeding regularly like the other 3?

Im getting a little worried because the 3 greedy ones are starting to gain some weight and size and we all know what can happen to the others if that happens

An interesting fish overall but fussy and picky little buggers. They tame very quickly though.

Hi kaiser,
Water temps are good, PH will come down. I fed mine the 4mm for 2 years (higher protein) What size are you feeding? I found it best to feed at dusk and dont watch them. Just thro a couple of handfuls in and walk away and listen. You will hear them feeding, sure the greedy ones will eat a lot but the others will eat later. Cut back on feed if the pellets are still there an hour later. What size tank do you have them in? If using IBC 15 max in each tank and when they get larger even less.

Just read your other post as well, the system will settle down but takes time DON'T FIDDLE WITH IT
If you dont have salt in it yet, put some in. 2Kg/1000 Litrs will give you 2ppt (parts per thousand)

Yep, chainsaw has raised heaps of barra in QLD, listen to him...

Pellets are only a few millimetres across. The fish are still around the 100 to 150 millimetres in length. Was given the pellets from the fish farm on purchase.

What type of salt? Table salt? Pool salt?

I have about 30 in a full IBC. Hmmm I might have to look at changing things when they get larger.

Not table salt as it may contain anticaking agents. Straight pool salt is the go and it is cheap to buy.

Still having problems feeding pellets after about a month now.

There are a few that are feeding like crazy but a majority are still nosing the food. I do leave it in the tank for about an hour and remove it.

Those feeding are putting on weight and looking health and strong. This morning they literally jumped out of the water to feed. Very strong and willing.

The rest are slim and appear not to be feeding - if at all.

Ive lost 2 fish in the last couple of days and can see another will probably not make it - appears that it has a defect with a pectoral fin. The dead ones had no obvious injuries. They dont have much condition though.

Bullying is taking place. This morning, the largest one had a go at another. His size would suggest that he would at some stage. I stagger the time I throw the food in so the others get a chance at it.

PH is around 7.9 to 8 and slowly falling. Glass shrimp in the sump are breeding and looking healthy.

Ammonia - 0
Nitrates/nitrites - 0

Ill add salt this arvo. My volume is around 1300 - 1400 ltres so will add 1 kg of pool salt.

The barra tank is well airated.

Temp around 25c.

If you have that much volume of water put the whole 25Kg of pool salt in. Salt is like a tonic for your fish. Go and get it today and put it in.

25kg? or 2.5kg?

I thought 1kg per 1000ltrs.

OOOPs Your right, just got my decimal point in wrong spot. Did even have my Barra salted to 8ppt for couple of weeks before the kill. So they can handle salt (not sure about 20ppt tho) although sea water is higher than that.

Just added 1.5kg and they loved it. All swarmed around the descending salt layers because I hung the salt in a bag just below the surface.

I think I will lose another fish tonight. He looks thin and weak. Due to a lot not eating much, they are thin. I heard that you cant starve a barra but maybe Ill be the first. I thought it was just their appetite so I threw a few live glass shrimp in and wham!!! all gone. So its not their health.....

Ill persevere with the pellets.

Thankyou for the advise by the way.

If you have not salted the system, maybe they have Ich. I would put in another 2Kgs and keep the water temps up around 28 deg for a couple of weeks. Do a search for MalcolmC in Townsville he experienced Ich and got all the info on treatment from a marine boffin.

Where did you get your glass shrimp?

Neil at Aquablue Seafoods (Pindamar) will sort you out....

http://www.aquablueseafoods.com.au/price-list.shtml

Local rainforest creek. Runs straight out of the mountains. Water only runs for about 8 months of the year but at times there are heaps of fresh water shrimp/prawns. They are omnivores. Ive been watching them clean up my IBC surface.

It is interesting to watch them survive against the onslaught of the barra. They will crawl out of the water and stay sitting above pipe fittings and whatever they can get a hold on above water. They can stay out of the water for a long time. Eventually they must return and its good bye. Ive watched barra actually leap out of the water to scrape them off the sides. Didnt expect that.

Sounds like my jade perch are going to LOVE them!
I read on a turtle forum that they bread in about 6-8 weeks and it is good to start with a population of about 100.
I am hoping they will clean up the algae in my duckweed sump. Will they survive off the algae growth or will I need to feed them? (It was suggested to feed powdered milk?)