[JCsicklidnewbie]

Hello

A couple of weeks ago my daughter and I visited the local SPCA and while I was there I noted a fish tank (33 long) with a presumed cichlid inside. I would like to know what type of fish it is, depending on the fish I might rescue it as long as it's compatible with the rest of my fish.
The fish in question is labeled SPCA (1-4). Sorry for the quality...I used my droid....I don't have an iPhone lol. The fish has a red trim on the dorsal fin, very thick lips and it was about 8 inches in total lenght.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/?saved=1
thanks

 

[Mcdaphnia]

Tilapia. It is a Buddhist tradition to buy one from a fish market alive and then release it. Oreochromis mossambica is dark with a white chin on the male and red on the fins. There are many species of Tilapia and they are crossed to produce hybrids with charactistics needed for aquaculture.

They will eat one or two small tankmates per day, not harming the rest until they choose to eat them. If the other fish are equal size, there may be a stand off.

 

[Nina_b]

buy it, fillet it, and roast it up with some coconut milk, butter and pineapple pieces in an oven tray. Be sparing with your salt.
Serve on a bed of rice, with a nice white wine. :thumb:

 

[beccam]

buy it, fillet it, and roast it up with some coconut milk, butter and pineapple pieces in an oven tray. Be sparing with your salt.
Serve on a bed of rice, with a nice white wine. :thumb:

ahahaah! good luck putting that on the SPCA adoption form.... they might be a bit up tight about the idea. maybe invite them for dinner? the wine should help loosen them up!

:lol:

 

[Mcdaphnia]

The water treatments and medications we use in the aquarium are not suitable for food fish. Some will cause the flesh to turn odd colors ( green, blue, etc.) when cooked and some may harm humans if the affected fish is eaten. Once a fish is in an aquarium where the treatments it has received are unknown, it is safer not to switch it back to a food fish.

I had a trio of these in a 250 gallon tank and they produced enough fry to load up a 520 gallon tank I'd just set up. I sold the trio at an auction and the jerk who bought them made a point of saying he was going to eat them.

 

[JCsicklidnewbie]

All

Thank you for the information. I'm glad I didnt volunteer to take the fish.

take care

 

[Nina_b]

I sold the trio at an auction and the jerk who bought them made a point of saying he was going to eat them.

I wasn't trying to *********, few people have a tank large enough to care for tilapia. In that case, it's better to not let the fish suffer for no good reason. That, and raising your own food does not make you evil - no more so than anyone who keeps chickens. Sorry about the guy who told you so, though, it must have felt like he's eating your pets :|

Once a fish is in an aquarium where the treatments it has received are unknown, it is safer not to switch it back to a food fish.

I didn't know about the chemicals and such, good to know

 

[JCsicklidnewbie]

No harm I didnt take the comments in a negative way. I was just grateful that I asked before I offered to take that fish. If that fish grew to half the projected size it would eat most of my fish.