Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

that'll teach him for picking on the little fish

Congrats Janet
Well done!

I'll be ready to populate Alaska with Tilapia pretty soon. I too decided to try the small male with a medium sized female. I think my first batch of males have gotten so large that even with their top lip cut off, they can damage a female just by chasing and banging into her. I'm guessing that even with a several pots, a 55 or 70 gallon aquarium is just too small for two fish that are over 12". I'm guessing the male thinks it's all his territory.

I have noticed that the females seem to sustain the most damage for the first two weeks after the male is introduced. After a few days, I'll notice the female with gill covers missing dime-sized chunks of flesh, many scales missing, bruises? towards the back (I'm guessing the male rams her into the side of the tank hoping to squeeze some eggs out) tattered fins.

Several of the fish from my first spawn seem large enough to breed.

I wasn't even making it to 2 weeks together with equal-sized fish. I would find the females scrunched into a corner and barely able to swim after the first week. My young boy seems more sedate, and all the fish, including the male, spend time in their own hides. Perhaps because if he gets over-eager, the females can give him what-for!

The fry are growing by the hour, it seems.

Yup, a younger male with two older females is the ticket here. He is actually the same size now as the gals, but I guess they established enough dominance when he was smaller that he doesn't think he can get away with as much. The first spawning was shared with Rpondpa. The second spawning was lost because I tried to net and move the female when she was holding eggs (plus a couple sac-fry). She spit in the net--ooooops!

Now I see that I have a third spawning. The female has a mouthful and has claimed the protected corner of the tank. I expect "spit" in about a week and a half. I'm not sure what to do with the fry since I don't have another aquarium. They may have to become snack food.

Janet,

I am finally ready to start my AP!!! I have a 55 gal Aquarium, I am in the process of getting it set up properly.
Do you think I could get some Tilapia from you? If so how many would I need for my size tank? I live about 1 hr north east of Indianapolis, IN.

Thanks - John

Janet, Congrats!
You are doing a great job. As usual, we are all green with envy. Good luck with all the little ones!

Joe

Hi John,
The real question is, how much growbed are you going to have? Next most important question is, how experienced are you at fish keeping?

If you have 110 gal of growbeds and are good at fishkeeping, I'd say you could manage 20 fish to maturity. You can get fillets off them at about a pound in weight.

I will PM you.

I am going to be ordering some tilapia in the next two or four weeks. Does anyone want me to get some for them? I will have to order some breather bags first before I can ship them.

Where are you able to get them, Dan? Are you having them shipped to you, or is this a local outfit?

Its a local fishery. Its legal to buy them here for cleaning ponds and "stock tanks". However, it looks like I waited to long to order. They are almost sold out and the only fish they have a larger fish that they want $11 a pound for; theres only 3 per pound. At this price it would not make since to order 200. So, I am going to look for another source. I think I might have to make the 4 hour drive to Houston to get fingerlings.

Bummer

Ok, I found a source for texas tilapia. Simaron Fresh Water Fish Incorporated,
25923 Nelson Rd
Hempstead, TX 77445

(979) 826-3554

Its near Houston. Just call before you go. They offer 4 inch fish for $2.95/pound. They also offer delivery through other companies that mark them up which is what our local hatchery does and resells them at $11/pound.

So now, I need help on deciding how to transport them. They are about 4 inches long or .5 pounds each. So I will need to get 100 pounds of fish and transport them 300 miles (3.5 hours, if traffic behaves). What is the minimum amount of water and how much air would I need? Would a small oxygen bottle be enough oxygen for the trip or can I use aquarium bubbler's?

Better idea: At that size, they are breedable. You don't need 200 fish, maybe only a dozen to get some good breeders. Then transport is easy. If you could breed them in June/July, you'd have more 4 inch fish than you could shake a stick at in no time.

If we think a moment about stocking rates in our tanks, we allocate an absolute minimum of 2gal/pound. Much better to go 3gal/pound, but let's assume that with care, and for a short time, they could manage at 1gal/pound. So you still need to be able to haul 100gal (or 800pounds since 1gal=8lbs) of water. Is that something you can manage?

When my fingerlings were shipped, they shipped with about 3gal of water for 165 2g fingerlings. So liveweight was ...(counting fingers and toes)...330g or about 3/4 pound, so about 4gal/pound. Granted, that was for overnight shipment, not 3.5 hours, but it still gives another sanity check. Larger fish are going to stress more than little ones.

I would talk to the seller for their recommendation on transport, but moving 100gal or more of water does not sound fun to me. Why don't you just buy your breeders there. The fry grow quickly!!!

I want to have a couple hundred pounds of fish by winter. I have ~17 tilapia already. I had at least one female, but I think she may have gotten sucked down the drain pipe while hiding. I have no idea if there are anymore females. I guess I could get a female breeder. I have not seen any little ones so far. They are in a 100 gallon tank..

Should I set up a plant area with a screen that would allow the fry through; for protection?

I would have expected some babies by now from what I hear about tilapia. But not for me