Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

The plan is to fill the sump with blue tilapia. I do not have any other plans for inline sumps/tanks (Other than fry/fingerling tanks) but I don't know what else I will be raising. What could I possibly raise?

I've seen things on crawdads/marrons/prawns. Basically all the same correct? I doubt I'd be abel to keep them in the bottom of the main tank with the tilapia. I thought about possibly putting some egg crate several inches above the bottom to allow them a way to stay away from the fish.

What else could I look into growing as far as live stock goes?

I think I have spelled FISH - FIST 50% of the time I've tried to write it on this forum. I need to start checking my english!

Well prawns are different from the, Marron/yabbies/crawfish/crayfish. The Giant freshwater prawns need lots of space and very warm water. I can't raise them here without an aquaculture permit anyway but it might be different where you are. Biggest issue is probably getting them in small quantities if they are allowed in your area.

The marron and yabbies and redclaw are all kinda Aussie creatures. Here in the USA you might raise crawdads, crayfish, crawfish or as some people call them, mudbugs. They are similar to the Aussie creatures talked much of on this forum but I don't know if many people on here have tried raising them. They require space and hiding places but I don't know much more about them.

Tilapia need warm water and if you don't want them busy breeding (and not growing) you need to get all male stock or keep the males and females separate or keep them in cages. some people have managed to grow tilapia without such things but the mixed gender stock definitely don't grow as fast if they are into breeding. The females grow hardly at all once they start breeding because they don't eat while they are holding eggs.

good Luck

Freshwater clams and mussels? I don't know what is available in NY...

I haven't looked into any availability since I don't really know what to look for. Mussels don't really sound that appealing to me. We used to catch them by the hundreds when I was younger, pulling them out of the mud. Since I've never really seen people eat them I can't see growing them now to eat.

Now you've got me thinking about separating the fish by gender and I'm going to have to start another topic for that one.

Sexing Tilapia isnot hard, you need to do it when they are around 100 grams, if you wait til 150 grams many of the females will be holding eggs,

hold the back in your hand so you are looking at the belly, the male has one urilgenital opening and the female two, I can show anyone in 30 secs and have them sexing tilapia reliably in 30 mins,

when teaching sustainable fish farming this was an important part of the training, as is pointed out females stop growing early when incubating eggs so we taught to separate out the females not needed for brood stock, to dry them and grind up for a good fish feed. " The best food for fish is fish".

Wow really? Kind of morbid to just throw them out on a tarp till they die and dry out but it's a pretty good idea. Do you have any good links to this process? Sounds simple but it'd be good to see it done. I'd probably try to cut them so that they were in chunks.