Tilapia

Tilapia - An Old Fish Tale with a New Twist

Tilapia is a fish that has been raised for centuries with little fanfare. In recent years with the worldwide emergence of aquaculture, increased attention is being focused on tilapia because of its superior culture possibilities. Reportedly more than one 1 billion pounds of Tilapia were raised last year. These fish are ideally suited for aquaculture because they are disease-resistant, reproduce easily, feed efficiently, and can tolerate poor water conditions.

Tilapia can be successfully grown in brackish water and some species can adapt to full strength sea water. Tilapia are members of the Cichlid family and are native to Africa. In many developing countries, tilapia are raised in ponds, cages and rice fields. Tilapia can also be grown in intensive culture systems, with corresponding greater investment cost. Tilapia produce mild, soft, white fish fillets, with a slightly sweet taste. These superior qualities make Tilapia a culinary delight, whether served in an expensive restaurant or prepared simply for home consumption.

I'll second the praises of Tilapia!! Their only draw back that is they require temps in the 70's to thrive and spawn. The AquaStore looks like the best place to get Tilapia that I have found. They offer a breeding colony of 5 fish ( 4 female and 1 male). Personally I would like to have more males. Another disadvantage is that the females will throw off all male progeny. At some point you will need another source of females. I will contact them to see if they can offer a female that has mixedsex progeny.

Offered by Stan.