Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Last season, out of approx 60 000 eggs, we had approx 200 albinos ( this number is a bit of guess ). We see them every year. We also get blue rainbow trout. They are less common then the albino mutation. Unfortunately, I could not find one last year. They are harder to spot than the albinos.

I got this photo of a blue one, off the Webb -

In England, its not uncommon for the fisheries to stock 100s of blue rainbows into their still waters. They keep blue rainbow trout breeders, for something different.

no matter how many times i view this thread, it still shows it as "unread".. hmmm

you sure keith

Hello all,

Just wanted to brush the dust off this thread and ask - has anybody tried this since Dunder brought it up? I think this could be pretty interesting, and from everything I've read should be reasonably straightforward with the right equipment (in particular a good aquarium chiller).

My main issue is probably going to be sourcing fertilised eggs in Sydney. Does anyone know of a potential source?

Hi Dr Love
Try a pm to Ben G he should be able to help. Also I will point him in the direction of this thread but he is busy and doesn't get on here much. Did you get some fingerlings for this season already ?

Hmmm wonder if there is a place in WA maybe the Pemberton trout hatchery

Thanks rendang. Yeah I've had my fingerlings for about 3 weeks now, they've settled in and are growing rapidly. Your trout have recovered from their mystery illness I hope?

My idea for the eggs would be to raise them in an insulated aquarium over summer with a chiller, that way I can get them straight into my pond as soon as the temperature allows in Autumn rather than waiting for delivery.

Could be an interesting little project...

Where are you going to get fertilized eggs from, during the Australian summer? Europe?

Anyone who wants to know how to get their own fertilized trout eggs, come along to the Liaweenee trout weekend. If you are able to

http://www.ifs.tas.gov.au/trout-weekend

The albino rainbows is not a true albino, i believe overseas its called a palomino. It is naturally occurring and you do get 1 in a 10,000 or so. But IFS Tas have purebred ones as does Mountain Stream fishery in Tas and i believe Alpine trout farm in vic got some off mountain stream aswell. Once you have the purebred ones all you have to do is breed them together and you get 100% albino's, the ones IFS sold you would almost certainly be triploid sterile fish so no chance of that.

My friend that runs mountain fresh trout and salmon farm in harrietville sends out eggs and i believe supplied the SA fishing club with some brown trout last year or the year before? He can do it for anyone but it would have to be at least a $200(1000 eggs) order i reckon for it to be worth his time to box them up and send them off. He could do rainbows, Atlantic salmon, brook trout and brown trout. If someone is 100% serious let me know and ill see what i can figure out.

I dont know how that compares to IFS prices?

If you cant keep your temps below 24-25 in summer then probably not worth it.


It will only be a matter of time before you can get aussie trout and salmon eggs year round, we are about to install a broodstock facility that manipulates photoperiod and temperature to make them think they are on different yearly cycles to get eggs at different times i can imagine many other places are looking at doing the same.

Well that's really what I'm asking the forum, but to clarify, by summer I mean the warmer months. From what I've read on a couple of the hatchery websites they spawn in winter, so if I could raise the fry through summer in a chilled tank, hopefully they'd be fingerlings ready for the pond by the following Autumn.

Do you know if the Tas IFS can ship eggs to Sydney Dunder? My assumption was they wouldn't, hence my hunt for a source closer to home.

Interesting info, I had wondered if breeders weren't able to manipulate their cycles, thanks gm.

I'm certainly serious, but not in the order of 1000 eggs serious. I'd be looking at pretty small scale as a proof of concept before I went any bigger.

Atlantic salmon are spawning right now, you then have to wait a month for the eggs to "eye up" before they are safe for transport. Rainbow trout are about 3-4 weeks away from spawning and then another 3-4 weeks for "eye-up". I would say mid july to mid august is about your rainbow trout window for delivery.

Unfortunately heat affects the small fish just as much as the big, the only saving grace for small guys is that they require less oxygen. As long as you dont feed them and have good aeration a rainbow should live through 24 degree water but its really pushing their limits.

I plan to keep them over summer myself with shade cloth and possibly a makeshift evaporation tower.

When I was brewing beer we used a swamp chiller to mimic lager temps which are similar to the trout requirements.
Start with the coldest spot in the home. Using a tub larger than the aquarium fill halfway with water wrap a towel or other good wicking cloth around the tank ensuring it is well into the water. Add a fan blowing across to create a cooling effect. If this does not bring temps down enough using a couple 1L bottles of frozen water in rotation from freezer to tub should do it

Yes they have, it was the algae and now the water has cleared my remaining trout are eating very well and looking great.

Please note that trout can be placed in a suitable pond, approx 14 to 16 days after hatching. A suitable pond would have the correct water, temperature, food etc. You need to wait up to 16 days, depending on water temperature, as the alevin does not have any resistance to UV light. Please note that the eggs also do not have resistance to UV light. UV light will kill both - the eggs and newly hatched alevin, up to 16 days.

Also, the eggs could easily be hatched in the pond, in the first place.
They would need to be in an appropriate egg basket. One of the problems though, is the predators, such as leeches.



I don't know of any reason why they would not. They ship eggs to SA. But you would have to ask IFS directly. I suspect the order would need to be substantial.