# What talapia are in the grocery stores?



## crabbejoe (Aug 3, 2006)

Are the talapia that people are farming, and selling in the grocery stores cichlids?


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## kodyboy (Dec 9, 2007)

yes they are, and very tasty to boot


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

There is a Tilapia farm at a nearby college and they are growing nilotica (I believe) imported directly from the Nile.


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## crabbejoe (Aug 3, 2006)

I was guessing they might be nilotica, but wasn't sure. The profile on here says they get up to 24", that's a lot bigger than the ones in the grocery store!
I suppose they must grow quickly or something?


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## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

the majority of farmed Tilpia are hybrid Tilapia and yes, one benefit of the hybridization is extra fast growth...


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## crabbejoe (Aug 3, 2006)

It seems strange to eat cichlids, I don't know why. I've eaten bass and bluegills and those aren't much different! Just something different I guess.


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## Camaro4Me (Mar 27, 2009)

OK - STOP IT ALREADY! This thread is going to cost me $50 at the seafood restaurant!


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## BenHugs (Jan 13, 2007)

I used to have one of those store bought red tilapias as a pet. It was a great fish. I can't seem to find them anymore (alive that is) or I would put another one in my tank.


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## Dave (Feb 9, 2003)

If you ever see the Dirty Jobs episode where they go to a hybrid striped bass farm, you will never eat Tilapia again.


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## crabbejoe (Aug 3, 2006)

I didn't see it, why, was he up to his armpits in fish heads or something?


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## under_control (Jan 9, 2008)

Dave said:


> If you ever see the Dirty Jobs episode where they go to a hybrid striped bass farm, you will never eat Tilapia again.


 Bah... Still cleaner than the conditions your bacon is kept in....


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## Dave (Feb 9, 2003)

Actually, the same conditions.

The Tilapia were kept in a canal where everything from the tanks was dumped, excess food, waste, dirty water. The bass lived in crystal clear water and the Tilapia lived in what looked like muddy water. The didn't feed the Tilapia, they just got what ever came out of the tanks. Then they would run a grate through the canal. The small fish would pass through, but the bigger fish were stuck. They would then transfer them for processing and then to your local store. I still can't bring myself to eat Tilapia.


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## BenHugs (Jan 13, 2007)

I still can't find a nice red one for my tank :lol:


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## crabbejoe (Aug 3, 2006)

That does sound pretty gross Dave. Wow, cichlids are tough fish! They really are a good fish to farm then. Breed like rabbits, grow quickly, tough as nails!


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

http://dinnerdiary.org/2009/02/12/pan-f ... of-a-sort/

but the Tilapia farmed near me are I think The Nile Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (as mentioned by BillD)

http://www.aqua.stir.ac.uk/Systems/tilapiaProject.htm :thumb: 
Not sure there is any difference in the taste between these and hybrids though. :-?
Hard to think a XXX genetically modified pure blood for growth rate, it is nearly 10% conversion from (plant) protein in to protein out I hear (up to 90% out to in from fish meal from the sea) is any much less than for hybrids but I am no expert. It is all a bit beyond what I think of a fish for eating as most folk (including me) prefer sea fish that are being grossly over fished. Opps a bit of conservation of a limited resource coming in. Farmed fish are the way of the future but unless we as consumers actually express a preference then we will get genetically modified fish at the base rate not long term sustainable as the cheapest source.
Even pure bloods can give a massive profit, if only folk would prefer this stuff to more natural products. opcorn:

I saw a advert in a LFS tilapia Â£1 each no returns (some at over 12" in size) I guess they were these Oreochromis niloticus or a hybrid of such. Almost tempted for the barbie as they would have been cheaper than my fishmonger. Fish are food not friends?   :fish:

Look at your local tilapia breeder for a food source it may well be that you like what you see and the price in comparison to your local Sea food provider.

Whilst I do not support GM and other modifications, hybrids etc it could be that these modifications are only due to market pressures. I want pure blood tilapia at my door at a lower price than sea food for me to consider this as the best fish food for my family.

Fortunately I have such a provider in the UK. :thumb:


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## crabbejoe (Aug 3, 2006)

So they farm them by you? I thought it got pretty cold in the UK?


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

They heat the water from power station waste heat. Pretty sure there is a better way of using this heat but the market for waist heat is pretty odd.

The prob they meet is no one really prefers this sourse of cheap fish and it can only be sold as the cheapest fish source of tasty protein. Most of us in the UK like Sea fish (much of it farmed these days) for taste and what we are used to but it may well be unsustainable.


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## BenHugs (Jan 13, 2007)

I've read some interesting things about tilapias as I wanted to find out more about what was in my tank. A lot of recipes came up before I actually found something useful. The hybrid tilapias are mainly bred for their appearance as a red or pink fish looks a lot better on your plate than the natural grey version. While they're at it they have bred them to grow faster and be more peacful. Mine was around 15" before it passed on and wouldn't eat any of his tank mates which would all have fit in his mouth. These fish can survive in almost any water condition including saltwater. I still can't find another one as a pet :lol:


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## crabbejoe (Aug 3, 2006)

If they could put the Be Green spin on farmed fish, then it'll probably take off more. 
It is very interesting, I had no idea they put so much effort into breeding them to be a better food fish.


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## BenHugs (Jan 13, 2007)

crabbejoe said:


> If they could put the Be Green spin on farmed fish, then it'll probably take off more.
> It is very interesting, I had no idea they put so much effort into breeding them to be a better food fish.


Some of the breeders already have the green spin on raising these fish. Some tilapias are being raised with farm produce via aquaponics. I think this is becoming more popular as it has many benefits. The plants use the fish waste as fertilizer which in turn cleans the fish water. The farmer saves on ferts but also has an easier time keeping the fish in a "healthy" environment.


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