Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

bluegill is definately one of the fish i'm interested in finding out about. They don't get very large, but that's ok. 1 lbs is ok. perch would be ok too. I know both of these are able to live in very cold temps (i've ice fished them both).

looking into yabby's it seems like they would do very well in a system with limestone in it. They need highly basic PH and they need the calcium. They withstand low temps. They kill eachother, but that's ok if they also reproduce. I've only eaten a few, but they taste good. They mate in tanks no problem. Hmm, i'll have to see what it will take to get them but they seem like they fit everything i'm looking for. Do they provide enough nutrients for the plants? And do they basically level out their own stocking density? Seems like cutting an ibc tote in half and filling both halves rather than 1 bigger ft could be best to get higher stocking.

for yabbies (not sure where you'd find them in the US, unless you're talking about local crays?) more sq footage is better..i've read that if the water is too deep they can have problems when they moult

http://www.crawdads.net/

I'm seeing if they have what I would need, and if they'd be willing to ship such a small order. On the site 20 lbs is the minimum.

Miami aquaculture sells redclaw, as well as books on how to best raise them.

The pond stocking place I got fish from in WVA sells crawfish and I think one of the larger kinds too.

I am expecting bluegill to breed in my tank once I have a good population going, but I may be spoiled by tilapia which breed just after their first meal LOL.

Actually Karen's tilapia are relatives of the ones I had, from what I remember...

well.. from what i've read about bluegill.. you'll have to provide some kind of substrate for them to build their nests.. then you'll have to take out the adults after the eggs are laid
ohio state has done some bluegill studies..photoperiod and temp changes can induce spawning

for some big bluegill, search for "condello strain bluegill", a guy that did some selective breeding over several years..

Indeed they are, Dave.

Koi are just colored carp that have been selectively bred for centuries for there color. I owned and operated a Koi farm in Florida for years they are every bit as durable as any other fish and more so. I raised 10's of thousands every year in high density recirculating systems almost identical to what you would use in aquaponics. Koi are sold in every pet shop in the US as are goldfish, carp is everywhere to be found in streams and lakes. You can jam pack them if you have a good filter system, I developed my filter system designs over the course of 59 years raising fish as a hobbyist then as a commercial farm owner.

They are fine to eat and yes you need to be careful of the bones, but when I was in Germany the people spent 2 to 3 hours enjoying the evening meal and carp was a favorite. They spawn in the spring and a 10 inch female can lay several thousand eggs just boil an egg and emulsify the yoke for the fry then feed them powered fry food.

I raised Koi and Catfish and Tilapia in the same system together and fed them the foods. Hope this helps.

Coming from Oz as I do, I frown on carp as much as anyone and I have actually tried them from the Murray River System. I don't think the mud at the bottom of the river could have tasted any worse, however, an old Yugoslav chap I knew as a kid, would catch them and keep them for a week in clean water before eating them.
My father in law then gave me some smoked carp and I can honestly say it was the best!
I don't know how it was prepared but it was really, really good. So carp, smoked from clean water gets a tick by me...if you can get around the bone problem

My Sarassa and Shibunkin Comet Goldfish all spawned over and over and over in my system this past Spring.

They used the fake plastic plants the kids dropped down in the system.

If you make roll mops out of carp they taste okay and all the little bones go soft and you can eat them. Just like sardines do. You can feed them on legumes like lupins and maybe peas. Lupins are 40% protein and I think peas are about the same. Depends where you are I can get lupins for free.

One of my friends kids used to fry gambusia in butter and have them on toast, they were supposed to taste great.