I drained my Tilapia pond and removed these huge mudfish. Obviously, they have been feeding on some of my Tilapia fry as well as on the fish feed.

HOW DID THE MUDFISH ARRIVE IN MY POND?
The came during the rainy season two years ago as a nearby river flooded it banks and somehow walked into my pond. Yes, if you know mudfish, you'd know they have a way of travelling distances and even surviving through the dry seasons in the earth.

DISADVANTAGES OF HAVING MUDFISH IN YOUR TILAPIA POND.
1. They feed on your tilapia fries. For Catfish farming, it's said that allowing Tilapia in your pond could result in mortalities among the catfish due to the sharp bones of Tilapia. But what da heck?
2. They compete for the tilapia feed you supply to the pond.
3. They compete for space which could lead to overcrowding.

ADVANTAGES OF HAVING MUDFISH IN YOUR TILAPIA POND.
1. The help check overcrowding of tilapia as they feed on some of your young fishes.
2. They are bottom feeders and as such could be said to help in keeping the water cleaner by preventing contamination of the water from excess feed dropping to the bottom of the pond.
3. Earn more from the sale of hefty mud fishes like those you find in the pictures below.

NB: I tried my best to take out as many mud fishes as I could as the Tilapia is my focus.

Sorry what do you plan on doing with them?

Your cutlass has done justice to one already whichever way you wish to prepare them “bon appetite”

Drop location make I help you out, taking out mud fish from tilapia pond is my hobby

ItsGoodToBeGood:
Drop location make I help you out, taking out mud fish from tilapia pond is my hobby

Lol

FERNANDEZISBACK:
Sorry what do you plan on doing with them?

Gift some, sell some.

donnie:


Gift some, sell some.

That's great..

Pls I want to start a fish pond, I don't want catfish, but I want tilapia or cote fingerlings, is this possible?
Where can I get such?

Matrixlord2021:
Pls I want to start a fish pond, I don't want catfish, but I want tilapia or cote fingerlings, is this possible?
Where can I get such?

Depending on your location... you can get tilapia fingerlings. One time purchase can be sufficient as they'll produce the eggs and fingerlings you'll need for subsequent stocking. .

donnie:


Depending on your location... you can get tilapia fingerlings. One time purchase can be sufficient as they'll produce the eggs and fingerlings you'll need for subsequent stocking. .

How much is the fingerlings

Donnie are those mudfish or catfish?

I never knew tilapia is farmed in Naija. Please how lucrative is it compared to catfish farming?
How long do they take to mature?
Are tilapia as resilient as catfish?
Can tilapia be farmed anywhere or are they location specific?

No vex for the many questions sir. I think say na only conspiracy theories you dey do, never knew you are also an accomplished fish farmer.

Ola17:
Donnie are those mudfish or catfish?

They are mudfish, not catfish.

I never knew tilapia is farmed in Naija. Please how lucrative is it compared to catfish farming?

Yes tilapia is farmed in Nigeria though by not too many farmers. Yes it is lucrative but it depends on what type of business you want: Do you want high investment, high turnover and high risk like catfish or like me, you want to also have time and resources for other things like family or for destroying long established lies like I do.

How long do they take to mature?
Are tilapia as resilient as catfish?
Can tilapia be farmed anywhere or are they location specific?

By 4-6 mouths they get mature and begin reproduction even before they get to full size.
*NOTE: when reproduction begins growth becomes stunted especially for females who's feeding reduces drastically since they have to carry their eggs in their mouth. Also because pond gets crowded.

Ola17:
Donnie are those mudfish or catfish? No vex for the many questions sir. I think say na only conspiracy theories you dey do, never knew you are also an accomplished fish farmer.

Well my knowledge of what you call conspiracy theories pushed me into what I'm doing in preparation for the days ahead.
Shalom

donnie:

They are mudfish, not catfish.

Yes tilapia is farmed in Nigeria though by not too many farmers. Yes it is lucrative but it depends on what type of business you want: Do you want high investment, high turnover and high risk like catfish or like me, you want to also have time and resources for other things like family or for destroying long established lies like I do.

By 4-6 mouths they get mature and begin reproduction even before they get to full size.
*NOTE: when reproduction begins growth becomes stunted especially for females who's feeding reduces drastically since they have to carry their eggs in their mouth. Also because pond gets crowded.

Well my knowledge of what you call conspiracy theories pushed me into what I'm doing in preparation for the days ahead.
Shalom

Thanks for the detailed reply. I will really love to go into large scale commercial fish farming someday.

Most tilapia farmers in lagos do reverse the sex of their fries. When you buy them, you will notice rapid growth but they cant reproduce. I wish i can buy from OP

Lighthouse50:
Most tilapia farmers in lagos do reverse the sex of their fries. When you buy them, you will notice rapid growth but they cant reproduce. I wish i can buy from OP

Very true... The process or sex reversal takes about 21 days and there'll be only a small percentage of females left. I tried it the first few batches, but I guess I got excited seeing the number of fishes grow and forgot about it altogether. But I discovered that the fishes in the less populated ponds grew bigger.

Ola17:

Thanks for the detailed reply. I will really love to go into large scale commercial fish farming someday.

You're welcome... YAH bless your dreams.