Hi, Does anyone know where a small hobby farmer could buy tilapia fingerlings or eggs for a reasonable price? I cant even afford to spend $400 on fish starting out or buy 2000 fingerlings at a time. So many of the places online also want you to not breed the fingerlings they sell you. Well gee whiz thats why I want to raise fish-to breed so that I can provide a sustainable ongoing source of food for my family! I have no interest raising fish commercially or selling fish. Id love to find eggs and incubate them but so far sure havent found tilapia eggs at all. I live in southern California but seems like all we have around here is bass, catfish and bluegill. Id really rather raise tilapia. Surely there is someone taking advantage of the kind of market I am part of-smalltime farmers/hobbiests who just want to try a dozen or so to start out and dont want to spend much more then 40-60 bucks. I dont need extra fast growing sterile super duper penny hybrid whatsit male tilapia-plain ol ordinary regular tilapia would do just fine. Im not growing for market so I can wait considerably longer for eating size. Anyone got any ideas? Im the only person I know of even interested in tilapia near me so cant split a order. I appreciate any ideas anyone can come up with :) gentle day, Lisa B ps-if anyone wants to email me privately-take the SPAMMENOT out of my email address to do so.

-- Lisa Brown (starwings@SPAMMENOTbigfoot.com.com), April 02, 2001

Answers

whats a Tilapia?? you could contact fish and game,, find out where they get theirs for restocking,, (if its a game fish),, or still go there,, and see if their supplier has any ideas

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), April 02, 2001.

The only way I found to get around that problem was to find a hatchery or large scale aquaculturist within driving distance. Shipping is actually the biggest part of the purchase cost. I was quoted a $90 shipping fee for two dozen fish, because of the special handling needed to keep them alive. If I drive to pick them up, the same fish can be had for under $10. Some of the larger hatcheries will help you get in touch with local purchasers that might be able to help, if you explain what you are looking for. (The penny hybrid folks blew me off, not the minimum order, don't ya know.) I will be using the all male hybrids for now, I have no way to overwinter them at the moment, so they need to be done by fall. I'm hoping to change that later, though. I don't know what kind of response you would get looking for breeders, unless you go straight to a large scale grower, and explain that you are NOT planning on becoming competition. Considering the growth ratios, they might be glad to cull out the females for you.

If you are looking for a cheap way to keep them fed, try these folks.

http://www.dabney.com/ecogenics/default.htm

They've been very helpful to me, and they will split up their 'packages' to make things more affordable. This is the only source for spirulina culture I've found that is actually affordable.

-- Connie (Connie@lunehaven.com), April 03, 2001.

Lisa- I am interested in doing something similar in the future, for personal consumption rather than profit. I have wondered about how to obtain small quantities. There is an independent grocery store near me that sells live fish, including Tilapia! I have considered buying a few from them to get started! Don;t know if it would work, but wouldn't be cost-prohibitive. Here are a couple of links for you, if you haven't already found them. http://www.cabbagehillfarm.org/ -go to aquaponics http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/aquanic/beginer/tilapia/tilapia.htm -several good links listed on Tilapia, including http://ag.arizona.edu/azaqua/ata.html -the American Tiliapia Assoc- they list hatcheries/ farms/ members. Good luck, Jack

-- jack (atl.jack@mailexcite.com), April 03, 2001.

I too have been interested in stocking my in-ground swimming pool with fish (hasn't had chemicals in it for 7 years) and am having difficulty finding a supplier of small numbers of fish. We have a local feed store that has a "fish day" when the fish truck shows up to drop off the fish that the farmers have pre-ordered and I thought I would try to see if I could just show up that day and talk someone into selling me about twenty.

Also, in regards to Tilapia, some states may have restrictions on raising them. Virginia requires a license and since I don't want to have anyone checking out my property, I decided against tilapia. But I still haven't solved the small quantity purchase issue. The smallest amount I can get is 200.

Good luck. Let me know if you find an internet site that will mail in small quantities. Thanks.

-- Colleen (pyramidgreatdanes@erols.com), April 04, 2001.

I'll use the old stand=by.... call the local extension service. Really wish those guys would put out a COMPREHENSIVE list of all the stuff they do!!!

They are connected with the Universities, so they have access to just about ANY information on everything.... From organizations to join, to water testing, soil testing, breeders' directories - everything.

Also - your state hatcheries would know where to find what you are looking for. They keep a listing of all the smaller retail hatcheries in each state.

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), April 04, 2001.

Has anyone found any sources for Tilapia fingerlings yet ? Mike East Central Fla.

-- ourfarm (ourfarm@nospam.com), May 09, 2001.

Try this site http://aquanic.org/ Then go to species and look under Tilapia. There is a discussion group that could help you find the fingerlings. Good Luck!!

-- cowgirlone (cowgirlone47@hotmail.com), May 09, 2001.

Here is the best information on the WEB for starting your own Tilapia farm. It is great for the beginner and for producing small amounts of family food fishes.

http://www.aquanet.com/aquastore/prodpages/products/tilapia/tilapia6.h tm

I have raised rainbow trout in a wooden box with plastic liner. This system looks to be a much better plan. I will be putting a pond together with these fish very soon.

Let me know how it goes for you.

-- Lee Allan (c_lee_allan@groton.pfizer.com), January 29, 2002.