Some questions on type of fish...

[shenandoah]

I am in the process of planning a small AP system in my apartment using a 55 gallon fish tank. Originally I was planning to buy tilapia but I couldn't find a local supplier I don't want to pay a ton for shipping. I did find a local fish farm that is about a half hour from me. Out of their selection, which would be the best for a 55 gallon tank?

Rainbow Trout
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Red Ear Sunfish
Hybrid Striped Bass
Channel Catfish

I really, really want to go with the trout, but I'm not sure they would be the best choice for an indoor fish tank...

Thanks for any help :)

[Ravnis]

Rainbow Trout --- I will defer to other members who have grown this fish
Yellow Perch --- Not sure on this one, would believe similar to bluegil
Bluegill ----- Grow slower and can be stocked denser, 2 year growout typical, gives time to expand if decided
Red Ear Sunfish --- Do not take well to pellets and require live feeds.
Hybrid Striped Bass --- large fish not suited for that small of aquarium
Channel Catfish ---- same as bass

I believe there is a farm within driving distance of ohio that might offer tilapia.
Another fish you might consider is pacu, but these can get large too. Tilapia are often listed as cichlids in aquarium stores. The first 3 in the list are good prospects. Would be careful of the last 3.

Hope this helps.

[Cecil]

Ravnis gives outstanding info as usual although I beg to differ on a couple things.

1.) Redears can be pellet trained if you are patient, start out with live feed, progress to hydrated feed and then the dry stuff. However if you're going to use a fish in the sunfish family it's easier to just go with the bluegills.

2.) From my experience bluegills can by grown out to food size in a years time or even less if you keep water temps in the optimum range and use good broodstock. I also know a professor that does so in an RAS and can get them to a pound in 10 months.

The problem with bluegills is hardly anyone has done selective breeding with them, and they are grown out outdoors w here several months of the year they don't even grow due to cold temps. My bluegill will reach food size in less than a year even though they are grown out outdoors. A dentist friend in Nebraska provided my broodstock, and he has been selectively breeding them for sometime as a hobby. I am just getting started with an RAS and am looking forward to what size I can get them in indoors in optimum temps.

As far as the trout you could have them if you keep water temps 65 F. or below, but this can become problematic in the summer unless you want to pay a huge air conditioning bill and freeze out everyone in the house. You can also get a chiller which tend to be expensive. Another downside to trout is you will need more biofilter capacity to make up for the cooler less optimum temps for the bacteria.

[nwestwood]

I can comment on Hybrid Stripped Bass as I have them.

1) they grow reasonably fast and can be stocked at normal densities (1/2lb per gallon, or recommended .33 fish per gallon).
2) They can grow from fingerling to plate (1.5-2.0 lbs) size in 9-12 months (mine are 6-8" at 6 months)
3) They are very very sensitive to stress, even more than trout. I just netted up 12 of them to get an average weight and 2 died. It took two shipments of fingerling's for me to get enough alive to start. They are just temperamental.
4) they like/grow best in temps 75-85 (24-29C).
5) Growth is fairly uniform
6) they taste great!
7) They only spawn once a year and in North America we can only get fingerling's in June-July.
8) they are "said" to have a low tolerance for potassium, I have not found this to be true, my system runs 30-50ppm and they are doing well.

I like this fish, I just wish they were a little less sensitive to everything.

[Cecil]

I have a PHD down the road that raises them in an RAS for the Chicago gourmet market. He gets them from a supplier down south but i believe he gets them more than once a year. Maybe your supplier isn't the same one? :confused:

[nwestwood]

They only spawn once a year. You can get them, but as the year goes by, they are bigger and bigger. In my case they are delivered via fedex overnight and after they get more than a couple inches, the suppliers won't ship them as HSB have spines that pop the bags. If you live near someone you can pick them up throughout the the year, but they won't be fingerlings.

[Cecil]

They only spawn once a year. You can get them, but as the year goes by, they are bigger and bigger. In my case they are delivered via fedex overnight and after they get more than a couple inches, the suppliers won't ship them as HSB have spines that pop the bags. If you live near someone you can pick them up throughout the the year, but they won't be fingerlings.

Are you sure a supplier doesn't have multiple cohorts by manipulating the photoperiod? I can't imagine someone can continously supply restaurants without multiple cohorts. I know grading will get one by a little, but not that much for a large scale commercial system. They are doing this now with yellow perch and bluegills and of course have been doing it with trout for some time along with triploids.

The business I was talking about gets them delivered by truck even though it's several hundred miles.

Edit:

I apologize if it sounds like I'm questioning your knowledge on this. It's just I'm surprised they aren't producing multiple cohorts. After some reading up on the Internet I see why. The broodfish are apparently pond raised. Hard to manipulate the photoperiod outside!

[nwestwood]

In Utah I have only one choice, Keo fish farms in Arkansas. They are the only facility with a license to export to Utah. They only have them once a year. You are correct that there may be others who manipulate temps and photo periods, I just don't know of them because my choices are so limited. In Utah, I have one supplier for bluegill, one supplier for HSB, and lots of choices for trout. Pretty sad.

If anyone can find the name of a source that can supply fingerling's year round, please let me know. It will be a hassle to get them certified to export, but If I ever get multiple stocking tanks going, it would be invaluable.

[Cecil]

Neal,

Looks like once a year is the norm for other parts of the country too after talking to some other guys that raise them. Like I said I'm surprised there is no impetus to produce them more than once a year with all the demand. I went to the Keo website and they were shipping to Israel and Taiwan for God's sake.

Perhaps there is a hurdle to multi cohort production with this hybrid?

[kellenw]

shenandoah -

With regard to Tilapia, try local pet shops. From time to time I'll find Mozambique Tilapia in tanks at local pet shops. They are often called "Mozambique Mouthbrooders". They'll probably sell for about $6-8 each for 3 inch fish, which is a rip off, but you only need 3 or 4 to get started.

We are also planning to offer a couple "starter" packages of mixed sex tilapia fry/fingerlings for under $100 shipped in the Spring if that might help you.

Otherwise, I'd be inclined to go with either yellow perch or bluegill. As a starter fish, I would probably lean a little toward bluegill instead of yellow perch though. They are pretty bullet proof.

[shenandoah]

Well I have my tank set up and I started my seeds 2 days ago (but not in the grow beds yet). The tank has been running for a little over a week and at the moment I just have about 20 goldfish in it. I did find a place that has tilapia in Indiana (about 4 hours from me) so once I hear back from him, I may go that route. What is the ratio of fish per gallon for tilapia? I may be getting another tank this week so I can have a decent amount of fish.

Thanks for all the advice on the types of fish. If I don't go with the tilapia I will probably get the bluegill since they are much closer and hardier than some of the other fish I listed.

[kellenw]

Sounds good! Keep us posted, and let us know how it all turns out!

[Cecil]

Well I have my tank set up and I started my seeds 2 days ago (but not in the grow beds yet). The tank has been running for a little over a week and at the moment I just have about 20 goldfish in it. I did find a place that has tilapia in Indiana (about 4 hours from me) so once I hear back from him, I may go that route. What is the ratio of fish per gallon for tilapia? I may be getting another tank this week so I can have a decent amount of fish.

Thanks for all the advice on the types of fish. If I don't go with the tilapia I will probably get the bluegill since they are much closer and hardier than some of the other fish I listed.

Since I'm in Indiana can you tell me who it is in Indiana that may have tilapia? Just curious.

[kellenw]

Since I'm in Indiana can you tell me who it is in Indiana that may have tilapia? Just curious.

Cecil -
I think I still have a list of fish haulers and suppliers for Indiana around here somewhere. I'll take a look to see if there are any tilapia suppliers listed.