Tilapia

[Andy Smith]

I had to drive from Santa Barbara to San Diego to buy 50 Tilapia fry. Does anyone know of anywhere in Southern California where I can get some larger models? Does one of the commercial farms by the Salton Sea sell live fish? Thanks Andy

[Todd Sowell]

Do you have a link for the Botanicare pipes? I did not find them.

Thanks

 

Todd

Tangomaniac said:

Are any of you concernced about PVC pipes and lead...phlatates, etc...xenoestrogens?? I found out that there is BOTANICARE that sells food grade pipes....Just discovered a consumer report on how there is excess lead in some garden hoses made of PVC (Supposedly lead in stabilizer) and then the glue??

Many garden hoses are made of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) - a toxic plastic - and lead is often used as a stabilizer in PVC. The dangerous levels of lead in garden hoses could potentially cause lead poisoning, cancer, birth defects and/or reproductive harm

http://www.naturalnews.com/033122_garden_hoses_lead.html

 

Dangerous levels of lead found in many garden hoses

Monday, July 25, 2011 by: Christina Luisa

[Jon Parr]

Steve, careful where you're stepping. Nile tilapia and their hybrids are positively illegal in Cali: Manual 671 prohibited species:
...

(O) Family Cichlidae-Cichlids

1. Tilapia sparrmani (Banded Tilapia) (D).

2. Tilapia zillii (Redbelly tilapia) (D), except permits may be issued to a person or agency for importation, transportation, or possession in the counties of San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, and Imperial.

3. Oreochromis aureus (Blue tilapia) (D).

4. Oreochromis niloticus (Nile tilapia)

...

DFG can and will bust your ass, and any of your customers. If you ordered them from put of state, then they'll get you for illegal importation as well. I personally don't have any grudge against tilapia here, and I think DFG is lame and corrupt. Just warning you. My advice is either to kill all your Niles, or at least keep quiet about owning them. Mossambicus are fine, I can supply you some pure strain mossies to replace your blood line if you like.

More info here:
http://www.animallaw.info/administrative/adusca14ccrs671.htm

You mentioned you started an AP business. When you get an aquaculture permit there is a wealth of information that accompanies the application. Good luck. :)

[Steve Olson]

Thanks for the info Jon.  I am not sure what species of tilapia I have.  Do you know how I can identify?  I received them from Ecolife Foundation in Escondido.  Some have long red stripe on the top dorsal fin.  Others are white/pinkish.  Some are grey with dark vertical bands.

Jon Parr said:

Steve, careful where you're stepping. Nile tilapia and their hybrids are positively illegal in Cali: Manual 671 prohibited species:
...

(O) Family Cichlidae-Cichlids

1. Tilapia sparrmani (Banded Tilapia) (D).

2. Tilapia zillii (Redbelly tilapia) (D), except permits may be issued to a person or agency for importation, transportation, or possession in the counties of San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, and Imperial.

3. Oreochromis aureus (Blue tilapia) (D).

4. Oreochromis niloticus (Nile tilapia)

...

DFG can and will bust your ass, and any of your customers. If you ordered them from put of state, then they'll get you for illegal importation as well. I personally don't have any grudge against tilapia here, and I think DFG is lame and corrupt. Just warning you. My advice is either to kill all your Niles, or at least keep quiet about owning them. Mossambicus are fine, I can supply you some pure strain mossies to replace your blood line if you like.

More info here:
http://www.animallaw.info/administrative/adusca14ccrs671.htm

You mentioned you started an AP business. When you get an aquaculture permit there is a wealth of information that accompanies the application. Good luck.

[Jon Parr]

Post a picture if you can. Color and banding are quite variable. I've seen my Salton Sea tilapia range from dark black with red fins and blue jaws (breeding male) to very light gray, almost white (same exact fish). Water temp, water chemistry, and environmental stress play a huge roll on coloration. That being said, my pure strain mossambicus Hawaiian Golds always look the same (or very similar) with a slight darkening of the face on the dominant male.

By your description, they do sound like Niles, or Nile hybrids, I've not heard of pinks in the mossambicus strain, or vertical bars. I'd call your source and ask them, and demand proof. DFG may do a genetic test for you, if you wish to get them involved.

[Jon Parr]

Found this:
...
Banding Patterns and Coloration

The main cultured species of tilapia usually can be distinguished by different banding patterns on the caudal fin. Nile tilapia have strong vertical bands, Blue tilapia have interrupted bands, and Mozambique tilapia have weak or no bands on the caudal fin. Male Mozambique tilapia also have upturned snouts. Color patterns on the body and fins also may distinguish species. Mature male Nile tilapia have gray or pink pigmentation in the throat region, while Mozambique tilapia have a more yellow coloration. However, coloration is often an unreliable method of distinguishing tilapia species because environment, state of sexual maturity, and food source greatly influence color intensity.
...
From here: http://www.thefishsite.com/articles/58/tilapia-life-history-and-bio...

[Steve Olson]

I will get some pictures or video tomorrow.  Thanks again for your help.

[Michael Welber]

I have approximately 50 fry in my tank. I graduated them to the slightly larger food yesterday since they got to be more than 2" long. They went for it right away but didn't seem to eat as much as with the powder. Very quiescent in the tank afterwards.  I am concerned that some of the smaller ones won't be able to eat this larger food and put in a little of the crumble as well but they didn't seem interested. What has been your -- anyone's -- experience when you switch the food. 

[Michael Welber]

This has been a great concern of mine too but I have been very frustrated in my efforts to purchase other kinds of pipe. I have a 5000 gallon cistern under the house and all the pipes are PVC. And, of course, I filled the fish tank from it with an off-the-shelf hose. Some people say that the problem with PVC is only in the manufacture and disposal but I am still concerned. It's too late to replace all the PVC pipes but I would be interested in a source for a non-polyvinyl garden hose. Is rubber better? (though it would be a problem here in South Florida in the hot, hot summer). 

Todd Sowell said:

Do you have a link for the Botanicare pipes? I did not find them.

Thanks

 

Todd

Tangomaniac said:

Are any of you concernced about PVC pipes and lead...phlatates, etc...xenoestrogens?? I found out that there is BOTANICARE that sells food grade pipes....Just discovered a consumer report on how there is excess lead in some garden hoses made of PVC (Supposedly lead in stabilizer) and then the glue??

Many garden hoses are made of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) - a toxic plastic - and lead is often used as a stabilizer in PVC. The dangerous levels of lead in garden hoses could potentially cause lead poisoning, cancer, birth defects and/or reproductive harm

http://www.naturalnews.com/033122_garden_hoses_lead.html

 

Dangerous levels of lead found in many garden hoses

Monday, July 25, 2011 by: Christina Luisa

[TCLynx]

If it doesn't need to be super flexible Michael, you might be able to use some of the black HDPE waterpipe instead of vinyl hose.  I'm not terribly worried about ridgid pvc (except when it becomes brittle and gets broken easily later after years out in the sun) but the flexible vinyl, even if given a "food grade" or "potable water grade" rating I still am trying to avoid it where I can.

They do make garden hoses that are "safe" as in no lead or ones that are meant for filling the potable water tanks on boats and RV's but those still have the questionable plasticizers that are making the headlines lately.

[Jon Parr]

Michael, fish are creatures of habit, and almost never jump at new food. It will take them a while to get used to it. It helps to blend the old with the new, and gradually wean them off of the old. Or you can do what I do, and feed the fry the same thing you feed the adults. I used to grind up larger pellets, but now I don't even do that. I just toss in a handful of whatever I'm feeding. Tilapia will do well on whatever you feed them. They nibble away from the pellets, and the pellets soften throughout the day. I also feed mine duckweed and rabbit food, fry fry stage on. Fry less than 1" long will go for both, and once they get over 2" long they prefer the rabbit food over aquamax 4000 or duckweed, and grow very fast on that diet.

[Michael Welber]

Frustrating isn't it. I looked at the Gilmour rubber hoses online, which were recommended by Grist.org but they have vinyl reinforcement so I don't know if you gain anything.  

[Steve Olson]

I posted some pics of the Tilapia I had for dinner.  I believe they are Mozambique, legal in SoCal.