Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

So I pulled half the tarp back from the pool/pond and the algae has left the building! I couldn't be happier. I'm debating leaving the deep end covered all year for algae prevention/ protection from birds (I have a large lake across the street). I released about 30 wild mosquito fish and am going to catch more today. Next step, bluegill, hopefully this friday. Has anyone raised bluegill fingerlings on pellets and if so what brand. The water temp is 68, so I'm going to wait a little bit to release the tilapia, I'll be so happy to get them out of the aquarium, they're too much work!

I think Florida Fish Farms sells Blue Gill. I've never grown Blue Gill but I expect they would probably do ok on the Aquamax Dense 4000 fish feed. Perhaps DanDMan will pop in and let us know what he feeds his blue gill.

I'm going to get them from this guy Dave in Davie. He owns a business called 'Shinner Shack'. He quoted me $60/100, I don't know if that's a good deal or not. He's the same guy I got the plecos from.

Is the AM 4000 the same feed you give your tilapia? These guys are going to be small so if so I guess I'd have to crush the pellets up.

I live about 3 minutes from Skycraft so if you're ever in the area and would like to stop by give me a holler!

Yea, it's the same feed. Of course you can get a small (like 5 lb) bag of some higher protein small size feed from Aquatic eco for while the fish are still too small for the big pellets and then transition them to the Aquamax as they get big enough. Of course you can ask the guy you are getting the fish from what feed would be best for them at this stage as well as when they get bigger. $60 for 100 fingerlings is a good price provided the fish are not really tiny. I get 100 3-5 inch catfish for $30 or 100 5-7 inch catfish for $60 so I would expect blue gill of 2-3 inches to be a good deal. Blue Gill do take longer to grow out.

Sounds like a great setup Troy. Looking forward to more pics!

Thanks! I can't wait to get the tilapia in the pond. Although I moved them to a 40 gal aquarium about a month and a half ago they're still too much maintenance. The water crept up to 70 degrees today so hopefully in the next couple of weeks!

+1

I think bluegills are carnivorous rather than omnivorous like catfish and tilapia, so you might need a different food...

I know the Bluegill in my ponds aggressively eat the fish pellet food I feed the Koi.

Bluegill are omnivores to a degree, but they are far more piscivorous (fish eating) than tilapia and especially koi. Koi diets are largely grain based and quite unbalanced for bluegill. Tilapia and bluegill commercial diets are often very similar and quite often could be used interchangeably.

I have some bluegills. They eat the catfish food that I feed my cats. I dont think that bluegills and Tilapia are a good combo. Unless you dont want the tilapia to reproduce. Bluegills will eat just about anything. Tilapia are know for how fast they breed so it might work out good. Unless you have some cover none of the small fish will survive.

Well, I have plenty of cover as half of the pool/pond is covered with a tarp for algae control, and will stay covered until I can build a structure for shade cloth (I need some schooling on building with bamboo). After our historically cold winter and a complete die off of the pond I'm sort of shifting gears in terms of the staple fish in the pond. I am now seeing bluegill as the main stock and tilapia as more of a maintenance fish. Also I'm getting things back in motion with lots of feeder fish. I catch mosquito fish locally (probably have about 60 or so currently) and am stocking minnows as well (have about 110 right now). I also have a worm bin and red wigglers on the way, so between the worms, feeder fish, pellets, and the ever-present Florida bugs hopefully I can provide the bluegills with a nice varied diet.

When we talk about cover for small fish, we are talking about hiding places for them in the pool where the bigger fish can't catch and eat them.

I expect tilapia fry could make fairly good feed for blue gill. However, make sure your blue gill fingerlings are not so small as to be in danger from your tilapia either. Small tilapia fingerlings will happily eat smaller fish.

Well, I have a couple of pieces of driftwood in the shallow end, and there is the bio-wheel in the deep end. I'm always on the look out for more drift wood on our weekly canoe clean-ups with Eco-Action. As far as the bluegill go, the guy I was supposed to get them from isn't answering my calls, and I'm more than ready to get them going. I checked out Florida Fish Farms web site and there is no contact info there. Do you know their number and location?

FLORID FISH FARMS INC 352-793-4224
9684 Cr 705, Center Hill, Florida

THANKS!