# Fish ID please



## HoustonKid (Dec 29, 2005)

I was fishing the retaining ponds around the house today. Managed a few bass fishing a flute.

Then this fish hammered the flute and fought like hell.

I have no idea what it is, maybe from someones fish tank, maybe a Texas Cichild. Not sure.

It was about 14" long and very thick.


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## Gator gar (Sep 21, 2007)

Talapia


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## HoustonKid (Dec 29, 2005)

If so, I cant wait till it is full grown and catch it again.

Looking at pics on the net, I believe you are correct. Pond is about 2 years old.


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## Figfarmer (Nov 25, 2007)

Looks just like the Talapia I saw in the chinese fish market two days ago.


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## HTownBoi281 (May 13, 2006)

its a small tilapia! gooood eating fish........


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## oc48 (Aug 13, 2005)

*yes*

yep, tilapia


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## apslp (Jul 1, 2008)

Found this interesting about tilapia
Look about halfway down the page
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/exotic/index.phtml#fish


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## DANO (May 23, 2005)

Use the link provided by apslp, contact Texas Parks & Wildlife.
Green for ya apslp !!


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## HoustonKid (Dec 29, 2005)

I had no idea a Tilapia was in the cichlid family.

Tilapia, Family Cichlidae All species of genera _Tilapia_, _Oreochromis_ and _Saratherodon_

From the TXPW link in the above post.

I guess I should have removed the fish. I will the next time I catch it or one like it.

Another interesting link and read from TXWP.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/didyouknow/exotics.phtml


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## rtoler (Apr 9, 2006)

*Hmm*

Looks like a crappie in a talapia suit. Very good eating either way......


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## TheAnt (Jul 1, 2008)

I watched a PBS thing on some kind of zoo in Canada where they have an "ecosystem" where the hippos cohabitate with tilapia. The fish eat the hipp dung. 

I don't eat it and call it "hippo fish" when my wife gets it... I think she hates me, heh. 

I have eaten it before and it tasted clean to me... fresh.

My favorite as far as flavor goes is crappie!!!

Anyhoo, don't worry aboutt that fish... it's a grass fish. You can tell because ithas a grassy looking skin. Notice it is also in its natural grass habitat.


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## Redfishr (Jul 26, 2004)

Same things they use to sell in pet stores decades ago....


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## ryanboke (Nov 10, 2008)

You need to catch and kill as many out of there as possible. They will over populate a fishery very quickly. TP&W says if you catch one in a public lake to gut immediately! They are already in Fayette County Lake pretty thick.


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## Figfarmer (Nov 25, 2007)

*Before you eat Tiulapia, read this*

Another fine (invasive) product brought over from another country.
Link:
http://channels.isp.netscape.com/homerealestate/package.jsp?name=fte/tilapia/tilapia&floc=NI-ntk1


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## anarkysurf (Apr 26, 2006)

next time you catch one. throw it on land and gut it, you dont want it to have any chance of reproducing. I know it sounds cruel but they will take over before you know it. Just check out whats happened to the San Jacinto River. they have outcompeted almost everything! fish and plants alike.


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## mikey01 (Oct 17, 2008)

i would say its a Nile Perch... they were introduced into US about 15 years ago... face looks to narrow to be a Tilapia


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## HoustonKid (Dec 29, 2005)

I sent the pics to TPWD and they said Nile Tilapia.


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## Poon Chaser (Aug 22, 2006)

Looks like a "DSL"... AKA the Monica Lewinski fish... Bill Clinton stocks these in his pond in Arkansas!!


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## KillaHookset (Jan 6, 2005)

In case you wondered why they taste so darn good its because they are marinated from the inside out!

http://www.deliciousorganics.com/controversies/tilapia.htm


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## rf1970 (Jun 6, 2006)

We used to catch them in canals in Florida when I was a kid. Someone put them in our lake years ago and they have taken over. We used to call them oscars.


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## big john o (Aug 12, 2005)

**** chaser said:


> Looks like a "DSL"... AKA the Monica Lewinski fish... Bill Clinton stocks these in his pond in Arkansas!!


I've heard of these before.....Thought that was a carp though.


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## wacker jr (Oct 5, 2006)

They are all over the Guadalupe river. Fun to bowfish and very tasty


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## trio-assassin (Nov 4, 2008)

definately a tilapia.......i know you should kill those if you catch them!!!


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## Stripe Mullett (Aug 20, 2008)

*It's a Blue Tilapia*

Gibbons Creek is loaded with them. Easy to catch and great to eat but you do have to gut immediately. Fire up the oil, it's go time.....


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## dbarham (Aug 13, 2005)

WHERE CAN YOU BUY THEM TO STOCK HOW DO THEY GET ALONG WITH BASS PERCH AND CATS?


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## trio-assassin (Nov 4, 2008)

where in gibbons creek can you catch tilapia? i fish only from the banks and dock at gibbons creek every once in a while, but have caught pretty much everything except for tilapia.


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## Stripe Mullett (Aug 20, 2008)

trio-assassin said:


> where in gibbons creek can you catch tilapia? i fish only from the banks and dock at gibbons creek every once in a while, but have caught pretty much everything except for tilapia.


At the discharge canal but you need a boat.


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## apslp (Jul 1, 2008)

dbarham said:


> WHERE CAN YOU BUY THEM TO STOCK HOW DO THEY GET ALONG WITH BASS PERCH AND CATS?


They will kill the population of every fish in the area.. Hince the reason the state considers them a hazardous species.


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## thatdoggJake (Dec 31, 2007)

nice one there. I let that thing go out of my fish bowl about 2 years ago. jk. Good ole tuscan


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## HoustonKid (Dec 29, 2005)

dbarham said:


> WHERE CAN YOU BUY THEM TO STOCK HOW DO THEY GET ALONG WITH BASS PERCH AND CATS?


It is against state law to introduce these fish into the wild. Check out the TPWD web page, they have a whole section about this.


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## brickman (Aug 18, 2005)

*Talapia*

We stock these every year in our pond because they breed seveal times a year and are great forage for bass. They do not compete against our game fish is what we were told. And when the water temp gets below 60 they all die.


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