Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Doesnt sound like a freak of nature to me, just a natural setting, which noone has in thier AP tank, its no wonder they dont breed.

I see people trying to breed aquarium fish that have the same problem, bare tank = why would fish want to breed?

Nice harvest Matty

I know my 4 perch arnt going to get that big Matty! I will be swapping them out for some trout soon .

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I was reading lots of department of fisheries aquaculture stuff about silver perch a few years ago, and seem to recall one of them saying silver perch would breed in captivity if there was a a sudden increase in water quality, temperature, and water depth (more than 30cm). so basically the change a river system would see in spring/summer when the River Murray was being fed by snow melts.

But I think there is other stuff. I'm not sure if this was something that applied to silver perch or cod, but some fish eggs need to be suspended in the water column ie off the ground, but are more dense than water, so they sink. The result is they need turbulent water and water flow (but not the kind that gets you turned to paste in an impeller). The problem with the river systems is they no longer have the flows.

Sorry for the lack of detail here, but the point I'm trying to make, is that most things breed in captivity if you can just figure out what they need, and what triggers the breeding response. Sometimes all it takes is a decent bottle of red, and a clear night with lots of stars.

When you say 30cm, thats an increase of 30cm yes? not "as long as its over 30cm"?

Yeah I think it was when water levels rise suddenly by 30cm or more from whatever they were at. But this is all from vague memory, I wouldn't try based on what I'm saying

I think it was from either South Australian, of Victorian fisheries. They have a few PDF's relating to raising native fish species either as aquaculture, or just fish in farm dams.

The problem is, I dont think there has been anywhere enough research. As I understand, it's very easy to get fish to spawn with an injection of something... hormones? ... who knows, but I think it's too easy to do it with science to bother trying to figure out how to do it naturally.

When they say it needs a water level increase of 30cm, that might mean something other than a depth change is causing the fish to spawn. ie it could be that the melted snow water has a different pH, carries a different food with it, has a different temperature, has a different oxygen saturation or whatever. From what I read, I got the feeling they only new that some conditions whould bring on spawning, without really knowing why.

The 30cm water depth increase, might just be bringing the yabbies out of hibernation or something or making some other creature spawn. Lots of Australian critters only reproduce when there is a lot of water, and dont bother wasting the energy when it's dry, so if any one of the things in the food chain that ends with fish is induced to change it's behaviour, it could be that change that brings about the fish spawning. That means you could duplicate the required conditions, but not the insect larvae that come with it (or whatever)

This is all total speculation, and I have no basis for any of this. I'm just trying to indicate that it's probably really complicated

I'll try to find the PDF that mentions the water level rise and link to it.

Things can be really complicated, but alot of the time things can be done very simply too, by replicating the natural environment - even in a tank, never a small tank though - You can usually get something going if you are patient and dont expect it to be in commercial quantities or reliable.

It's probably worth moving this conversation about breeding to this thread on creating a breeding environment rather than having it here

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=311&hilit=breading+silver+perch

+1 Trout time soon can't wait

Never tried silver perch but I think they should be the same as English perch, scale, gut, take the head off flour both sides and drop into a hot oiled frypan, Magic !!!

Flipper

It's a funny thing but I find most fish taste best that way. Flour is optional.

Mrs Bullwinkle does eat fish. I tend to be the cook for most meals, but obviously don't get to make a lot of fish dinners. Perhaps that's why I've never added a lot of extra flavour ie because I'm not sick of just plain fish yet due to not eating a lot of it, but I don't think so.

Salt.

Fish needs a bit of salt. Especially freshwater fish.

Fish has such exquisite, delicate flavour that I don't want to over flavour it. Few (if any) other foods offer that. In fact I cant think of any...

maybe oysters, strawberries, and maybe rockmellon (Cantaloupe)

and bread


OK there might be a few others

So with trout time drawing closer, what is everyone doing with their fish? I've only eaten one SP so far, and I'll be trying the steamed ginger jobby tonight. Any other suggestions?

My previous post to this thread should read...

Mrs Bullwinkle DOESN'T eat fish.



Trout time. I might get some trout for the first time.

I would if I were you Bullwinkle11 I love trout and I'm sure that you won't be disappointed.

That was good Fridays 2 perch that I harvested
Just pan fried the fish to get it nice and crispy and then poured the Thai green curry over it .
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