Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I have no older fish, and if I did have an older fish, they would just add to the orgy, not chaperone. The cats say they would like to chaperone, though.

Weekly Update:
Mama #1 is now in the Nunnery aquarium. Her fry are growing nicely on powdered 40%-protein flake and a blend of egg yolk and yeast. They are noticeably bigger after only one week. Mama #2 has spit and the fry are swarming around her. She's still protecting them from the ferocious humans that come to look. Mama #3 is in a cage in the main grow out tank. She partially spit her eggs when I netted her, but I'm more interested in her than the eggs/fry at this point. So at this moment, I have one aquarium for fry grow-out, one aquarium for the Nunnery (with 3 nuns), one cage in the main system for Mama #3, one Bachelor Pad cage for the chosen male, and of course, the main grow-out in the AP system. This is getting complicated.

Plant growth is very nice. We are getting fresh basil for multiple meals per week. The mixed lettuces are looking nice, and the cucumbers are blooming, but all blooms are male at the moment. I'm standing by with my paint brush for pollination. The tomato plant is growing well, and a bunch of seeds have germinated. Regrettably, I have the same problem in AP that I do in dirt. I plant a bunch of stuff, thinking I will remember what I planted where. Then I promptly forget, and have to wait an extra month to figure out what it is.

I am facing complications too. The same female that had the first batch of fry a few weeks ago now has a batch of eggs in her mouth.....I already do not have enough tank space for more, so I guess they will become food for my grow out batch at work. Unless I can find someone at the local aquarium club who wants them.

I'm terrible at that same thing. Maybe one day I'll be able to identify the plant before it fruits but I doubt it. I think I have a cantalope growing but who knows. LOL.

hehehehe, and it's only going to get worse Janet, what will you do with the next lot...?

There is certainly potential to be over-run in fry, EB. Ongoing, I think I can handle things with one Girls Tank, and one tank that alternates between fry grow-out and Bachelor Pad. When I am growing out fry, the breeder male needs a place to stay, and the only thing available is a cage in the main system. He's not real thrilled with that arrangement, but as fast as the fry are growing, he should only be there about three weeks. We'll see how that works as he gets bigger.

Maybe you could hang a sign out in your front yard, or place an ad in the paper. (Still only 8 fry here)

My tilapia still haven't gotten with it. I can identify at least one male. He's got black and red fins, a pale body and blue and reddish patches front and back. He races around chasing all the other fish. So far all the fish are eating and none are hiding. I have been having trouble keeping the temperature above 75. Perhaps that is the problem. temperature definately seems to make a difference. I had one 1" fry which I put in a 10 gal aquarium with my danios (so I could feed him smaller food and make sure he got some) 3 medium and 7 larger. Their tanks have been staying at 80F 70F and 75F respectively. The 1" fish is now at least 2" and almost as large as the two medium fish that have been at 70F. the ones at 75 have grown noticeably. I've read that they grow even faster at 90F. But two of my heaters have broken and I'm not sure if I'm ready to deal with more fish just yet.

I realized I hadn't posted pics in a while. All is going quite well. I netted out a few fish to take pics, but the camera malfunctioned and didn't store those. I didn't want to net twice to re-do, but I did learn that the largest of my fish are now 6 inches (150mm) from nose to end of tail!

Oh...Dad came over the other day and admired the fish. He commented on how fast they are growing. He has one of those desktop idiot-proof hydroponics systems to grow herbs. I think he wants an AP system, but hasn't figured out how to get it past the Boss (Mom). I will share some fresh tilapia with him this summer. Maybe that will convince Mom.

very nice Janet keep spreading the word

looks good Janet. I'm sorry I didn't reply earlier. I am maxxed on space and for now I can't handle any more fishies. Your's are looking good.

Maybe next batch, MF. Thanks for letting me know, though. That helps me manage the "Nunnery".

I hope to have space sometime in the near future. I def. want to get into breeding more, but I do have to be careful as I am in illegal territory...