Fish in Sydney?

[daves2074]

I am just in the process of setting up my first aquaponics set up and was looking at getting a few different varieties of fish to try. I was considering silver perch, eel tailed catfish and yabbies. Any thoughts or ideas on these or any other suitable fish?
also who is a good supplier of these fish that will deliver to sydney?
thank you

[aussieap]

Gday Dave. Hunt down Austasia Aquaculture magazine, bunch of suppliers in there from NSW. Generally silvers, golden perch and murray cod. You will need to keep your yabbies in a seperate tank or they will become fish food.

[Castaway]

Hey Darren - thats a good link you've provided. Plenty of useful information, you can search through back issues of the magazine and download lots of useful articles about whatever fish your interested in.

http://my.austasiaaquaculture.com.au/viewlibrary.php?subCategoryID=4564&showFile=search&searchLibrary=true

For exampe here's a good article on Dr Wilson Lennard's Aquaponic (http://my.austasiaaquaculture.com.au/viewlibrary.php?subCategoryID=4564&showFile=4564_20080526180412_012.jpg) farm at King Lake

[MarkDW]

Hi, I have bought my fingerlings of Silver Perch from Aqua Blue at Tea Gardens ph 49979191. I have usually made an excuse to go for a drive to visit but I am sure they can freight them. They also do yabbies, glass shrimp and other types of fish. They usually have a couple of different sizes to choose from as well.

Silver Perch grow well in the warmer months in Sydney but are slowing down on the feeding and growth at the moment, my tank temp is around 15C. I have some yabbies in the tank with them which seem to be holding their own but have separate tanks for breeding and raising young.
Hope this helps
Mark

[terryd]

Hi mark where in Sydney are you located, I'm near Parramatta.
Only have my system going for about 3 weeks,getting there slowly.

[rainwater]

I am in Sydney also, North Narrabeen. I have had my set up for almost 3 weeks as well. I get my first batch of Trout tommorow, cant wait:).
Water temps in my system are sitting at 13oC at the moment. I will try either Silvers or Barra next depending if I can get the water temps up.

[terryd]

Yep I'm hoping to get some trout tommorrow too, but my water is still very brown will that effect the fish?

[rainwater]

Not from what every one has told me, mine has a yellow suspended clay in it from using Nepean river pebbles in the grow bed. I have put cloth nappies under the inlets to the GB's and that is clearing up the clay, slowly mind you but it is working better than a 15 micron filter that i connected up the the system to try to get it out. Trout don't mind a bit of color in the water others have told me so we should be OK. Can't wait to the fish arrive today woo hoo:)

[terryd]

Yes can't wait.
Yahoo

[rainwater]

Have you heard from John yet?

[terryd]

No I haven't i sent him an email yesterday arvo but haven't had a reply so dont know whats going on.

[rainwater]

Its not like Rup to be silent on the forum, he must be on the road delivering the precious cargo.

[terryd]

John just rang me , hasn't left yet.

[MarkDW]

Hi guys,
I'm in Lugarno (Hurstville area). Good luck with your trout!
My water started out cloudy from the dust on the blue metal but cleared up after about a week of running through the filter beds and haven't had a problem since (about 18 months). My water temp is about 14C at the moment and the silver perch are not that interested in the food.
Cheers
Mark

[rainwater]

My trout diddnt come yesterday as my readings are spiking at the moment, so it was advised to wait untill they settle down.
How long have you had your SP's and how big are they.

[MarkDW]

I started with 50 in Oct 07 (now probably 35 left) and they are ALMOST at eating size in the main tank, I don't know if I am expecting too much but want to impress the family with the first fish meal. I have been a bit dissapointed at the growth rates (again, probably expecting too much) but have had alot of enjoyment along the way. I also have about 30 of 50 in the fingerling tank that I got in winter last year that are around 10 to 15 cm.

[rainwater]

I want to run silvers as well but have heard the growth rates are slow, about 18 months to grow out to 800 grams to a Kg.
I will have to get another tank to start the slivers off and maybe attach a bio filter as I dont really have enough room for more grow beds. How big is your small tank.

[nick]

markDW, that is two summers of growth and with silver perch you should have them well and truly at eating stage by now, The first summer should have gotten them to a 10-15cm size and then the second summer should have got you too edible size. For silver perch if they are above 35cms they are ready to eat, generally. My only thoughts are that the fish did not get enough to eat at the right times of the year.

If you are in Sydney you should consider the trout that are available. They will need to be fed consistently but you should be able to get them to eating stage before christmas.

Any way just my two cents,
Nick

[MarkDW]

Hi, I have one of Murray's kits - 925 litre tank and 250 litre fingerling tank with 4 x 250l grow beds. Where are you getting your trout? Istarted my perch in a 4" aquarium until the system was cycling and running well, maybe it slowed their development but can't imagine it would have been by much. Better to have everything going rather than risk a fish kill.

Hi Nick , the SP tend to slow down on the feed as the water temp drops below 16C or so, I haven't measured/weighed any fish lately and maybe the biggest have first dibs on the best hideouts. I'll have to check on the weekend when I have some time and enough daylight. Thanks for the advice.
Mark

[rainwater]

I am getting my Trout from John AKA Rupert from OZ is is on this forum as well as others f you cant find him PM me and I will send you the details.

[bunya boy]

I think it is really nice that we can all work together, regardless of our own little petty perceptions about Forums and the like! Lets share and disemminate Knowledge, experiences and skills. From my personal perspective, I appreciate all the opinions, experiences and first hand knowledge that comes from being a part of a "community" of being involved in Aquaponics. I am a member of the two best forums in the world that matter! We are both in OZ!!! Lets take in all those experiences and some of the social networking that we enjoy, the smart comments, the cynicism and the personal stupidity that really isn't is stupid!!!

Australian set-ups and working systems lead the world at the moment in the application and empirical theory that will ultimately prove to provide the rest of the world with a working model for Aquaponics. lets hope that the Law-makers dont become involved too soon.
I will always share my experience, observations and learnt tenets with those of a similar ilk. Without being completely stupid, I do believe that we can change the world! I will not argue with detractors, I will not try to prove "our" case with those who would be a Devil's advocate, nor will I attempt to disprove those whom have tried and died, nor those whom have sucked and suceeeded! Just like a beakless Budgie!!
For once in our menial existance, let's try to help each other of a like mind and beat the "Batardies"

Cheers IanK :D