Fish we can breed at home (for eating) Aquaponics

[Murray]

As much as I am greatly in favour of protecting our native species, I feel that the Genie is out of the bottle re Tilapia.
Once in the streams I seriously doubt they will get rid of them.
As much as I love Australian Natives, one major drawback with them is that breeding them is a highly specialised skill and out of the reach of the home grower.
That is where I agree with Hamish, should things get bad and the financial system sort of breaks down, people will want a fish like Tilapia.
Is there an Australian species that can be bred at home ?
Anyone know how to breed freshwater mullet ?
What about Redfin (english perch) They must be an easy breeder, but also illegal I think .
What about Carp ? I know everybody will tell me they are illegal, but they must breed easily ? Iam told they are good eating ???
Is'nt there some species we can breed at home, that is good for eating ?

[fishfood]

I am with you murray talking about tialpa there doesent seem to be any body breeding and eating them in wa [even though there legal] nearly everybody over seas seems to have great success with them!

[Laurie]

Murray
I was in at the DPI this week, & Red Fin are legal in Victoria. I know they are band in NSW.
Laurie.

[GaryD]

Hi,

The Tilapia that are grown commercially in the US are the result of some fairly extensive selection. There's a guy called Mike Sipes who has been working on his breeding lines......for decades if I recall correctly.

I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for the authorities to sanction the production of tilapia in Australia......it's much easier to do nothing than to undertake the work that is required to make their production feasible here....notwithstanding the fact that the horse has already bolted. I'm told that the northern river systems are full of them.

Gary

[BARRAMUNDI BRETT'O]

Hi there,Ilived in cairns for about 10 years moving up there in 92 or 93 and did a lot of fishing from fresh to saltwater.Cast netting in the local tidal drains would always supply good live bait and i remember around 1995 or so a multitude of tilapia showing up in some of the tidal drains moving about in sometimes 3 inches of water, some fish would have gone 500 to 600g.I seem to recollect a program was set up to try and clean them up.I never did see any in the upper fresh regions of the local creeks but am not up to date with the current situation. bye brett

[Dufflight]

I'm all for home breeding. Carp might taste a lot different if raised from fingerling with a better diet and environment. And they would clean up the bottom of larger tanks. I've heard that Nile perch is a pest in the river systems and breeds like bunnies. Is there another name for them as I don't read anything about them in AP.

[Hamish]

I have posted this before - but a really interesting episode of River Cottage shows Hugh catching a large carp from a dam and purging it in a fresh water stream prior to cooking and serving it to his guests. Worth a watch.

http://www.factualtv.com/app/public/simpleSearch.action;jsessionid=ACE0337A8BAD2C3CA86CC8F150CDA7F0

[Hamish]

Ok - seems that link doesnt work. Here is another way around it.

Go to www.factualtv.com (http://www.factualtv.com) and search for:

River Cottage Forever: Episode 2

[karl]

Just found this bit of information on the DPI&F
At present there is no effective method for eradicating noxious fish from larger water bodies and flowing river systems. Eradication of the existing populations has proved impossible except in small bodies of confined water. Several incidences of a 'natural climatic' control have occurred in North Pine Dam where, following the onset of westerly winds in winter, turnover of the water within the dam resulted in extensive mortalities of tilapia (they can't tolerate extensive periods of low water temperature). However, this was not sufficient to cause eradication.

[Murray]

They are in North Pine Dam ?????
I had a bloke on the phone yesterday who reckons that he has seen them (Tilapia) in small pools at the base of the Wivenhoe Dam wall.

[jack@badflas]

In California the has been some success by breeding "supermale" tilapia of the invasive species and putting them in the lake. They out-compete the normal males for the ladies and their offspring are all male. In a few generations the population drops very quickly. "Supermales" are YY. When crossed with XX female all ofspring are XY.

One way to produce YY males is to sex reverse a crop of fry to all female. Some of these will be genetically male. When bred with normal males half the offspring will be super males. They must be checked by breeding them to normal females and then checkig the offspring, so the process is expensive and time consuming.

[Murray]

I wonder if our Department of Fisheries knows that info about the Super males.
Possibly not.
Currently they are trying to eradicate the Tilapia from a stream in north QLD by electrically stunning all the fish and only putting back the ones they want.:confused: Not all that clever I would have thought.
Perhaps they need to join this forum.

[Dufflight]

Could be worse. They could introduce another species to get rid of them. Cane toads anyone.:D

[Hamish]

Could be worse. They could introduce another species to get rid of them. Cane toads anyone.:D
Perhaps Piranah :eek:

[GaryD]

If it's choice between Tilapia and Jade Perch, I'll take Jade Perch.

[Dufflight]

Perhaps Piranah :eek:

I wanted them for my pool. Would of been fun to feed.:D

[Hamish]

If it's choice between Tilapia and Jade Perch, I'll take Jade Perch.
And id agree with you 100%. However if the s### hits the fan I am not sure jade perch fingerlings will be readily available - and if they are the transport to get them might not be - or indeed the money to pay for them. Hence the interest in easy to breed fish. If only it was easy to breed Jades :rolleyes:

[Dufflight]

Are they like silvers and need an injection. Is that because they are not old enough. I never asked the question. If it is the age of the fish then all you need is to keep breeders. My silvers if I didn't take them were going to be added to there breeding stock.

[Hamish]

Yes - Jades need an injection of Hormones to breed in captivity.

[Dufflight]

Is it because of the age or the environment.

[Hamish]

Im no expert but I think it is enviroment. Aparently there needs to be some very specific circumstances for them to breed in the wild - and the hormones force that reaction.

[Dufflight]

Well if it is a temp, ph or salinity thing we can control that on a small scale. Moon cycle can be controlled with lighting. Might have to have a look at it. And the hormone injection could not be that hard to do anyway.

[GaryD]

Hi,

One of the biggest issues associated with breeding fish is getting hold of, and maintaining, the broodstock......the parent fish.

Gary

[Dufflight]

Cool. That was what my silvers were going to be added to if I didn't want them. And the other half won't let me eat them.

[Outbackozzie]

Each hormone injection is around $500, and may not produce any offspring, or if it does, the offspring can be deformed.