No more tilapia?

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Replies

  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,334 Member
    Yeah i do t eat it at all now when i Heard that its Not a real fish. Its government made.

    Wha??
  • CafeRacer808
    CafeRacer808 Posts: 2,396 Member
    Yeah i do t eat it at all now when i Heard that its Not a real fish. Its government made.

    Wha??

    It's kinda like The Matrix, except for fish.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,334 Member
    Yeah i do t eat it at all now when i Heard that its Not a real fish. Its government made.

    Wha??

    It's kinda like The Matrix, except for fish.

    I'm reminded of the episode of Better Off Ted where they grow the steak
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,644 Member
    Yeah i do t eat it at all now when i Heard that its Not a real fish. Its government made.

    giphy.gif

    That wasn't tilapia. That was crack. Crack was created by the government. Also AIDS.
  • marm1962
    marm1962 Posts: 950 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    marm1962 wrote: »
    wizzybeth wrote: »
    Did you ever think about what all fish do in the water? If you are afraid of tilapia why would you ever drink water?

    Well I don't drink water that fish have been swimming in. Do you?


    Lake Tahoe has fish swimming in it and is the best tasting drinking water, so yeah, I have.

    I am not sure where your drinking water comes from but, Drinking water comes from one of two sources: ground water or surface water. Ground water originates from precipitation that falls in the form of rain or snow and seeps into the ground, filling the open spaces, or pore space, within layers of sand or gravel (formations) beneath the land surface. Under the ground there is a zone of saturation where the subsurface is completely saturated with water. Layers of sand and gravel in this saturated zone are called aquifers. An aquifer is a geologic formation containing water in quantities sufficient to yield water to a well. The well pumps water to the surface where the water company treats it to ensure that it is safe to drink. It is then pumped into a storage tank and upon demand by the customer, flows through distribution pipes into the home and ultimately to the faucet.

    So, not only have you drank water that fish have been swimming in, you most likely drink water that humans and other animals have urinated in or crapped in too. It also has had a few hundred animals die in it also.

    surface water include creeks, lakes and streams.

    I'm pretty sure the bolded is pretty important...I'm pretty sure "I don't drink water that fish have been swimming in" is in reference to drinking that water directly from source...good grief.

    Say what you mean and mean what you say
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
    Sunna_W wrote: »
    What about other milder fish?

    I think we're getting way too far off topic for such a reasonable question.

    But, I also eat farmed Norwegian salmon.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,334 Member
    We eat a lot of flake here in Australia, it's very mild. And also it's shark.
  • fitmom4lifemfp
    fitmom4lifemfp Posts: 1,572 Member
    edited February 2017
    Jax2120 wrote: »
    I keep hearing that tilapia is really the worst fish to eat. Has everyone pretty much stopped eating it for protein now?

    LOL! No. Certainly not. It is actually fine to eat.


    You can find as many articles that are for tilapia, as are against it. Frankly, I think it's a perfectly fine fish to eat. But you are right - everyone should make up their own mind.


    http://time.com/3895811/tilapia-health-benefits/


    http://www.yourdoctorsorders.com/2015/04/the-tilapia-truth/


    If we’re going to continue to eat fish, and to feed it to the people scheduled to join us on this planet in the coming years, we have to farm it. And if we’re going to farm fish, an adaptable, hardy fish like tilapia is an excellent candidate.

    What about the poop? Seafood Watch scientist Tyler Isaac explains that manure is often used in fish ponds, but not as food. It fertilizes the algae and plankton that the fish eat. Do tilapia sometimes nibble on it? Well, probably. They’ll nibble on your toes if you let them.


    http://www.cgiar.org/consortium-news/improved-tilapia-the-gift-that-keeps-giving/


    Always remember those TV show documentaries whether about fish, about health, about cleanliness or whatever produced for shock purposes and usually have an agenda to push.


  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    I don't mind it. I would pick other types of fish given the opportunity (tilapia is too lean so can be a bit dry and lacking), but I don't find it tastes like dirt. I'm not overly swayed by the gross factor people try to pin on some foods. I'll drink my pus (milk) and eat my ground carcass byproducts (nuggets and canned franks) with a nice crusty slice of ground rats/insects (bread).

    It's a sustainable fish, and I would have it more often if I liked it enough.
  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,578 Member
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    wizzybeth wrote: »
    Did you ever think about what all fish do in the water? If you are afraid of tilapia why would you ever drink water?

    Well I don't drink water that fish have been swimming in. Do you?

    My water comes from the Ohio river. Granted, it is filtered by Greater Cincinnati Water Works before it gets to my house but yeah, it's had fish swimming in it.

    Also, all those bottles of spring water at the grocery store? Those springs have fish in them.

    I've also gotten swigs of aquarium water accidentally when siphoning tanks. Didn't die.

    Key is it is filtered and treated. Even aquarium water is filtered. Can't believe I am even saying this. Seriously.

    I'm sure you could take a swig of water directly out of the Ohio River a day not die. A significant amount of it however would probably make you sick.
  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,578 Member
    marm1962 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    marm1962 wrote: »
    wizzybeth wrote: »
    Did you ever think about what all fish do in the water? If you are afraid of tilapia why would you ever drink water?

    Well I don't drink water that fish have been swimming in. Do you?


    Lake Tahoe has fish swimming in it and is the best tasting drinking water, so yeah, I have.

    I am not sure where your drinking water comes from but, Drinking water comes from one of two sources: ground water or surface water. Ground water originates from precipitation that falls in the form of rain or snow and seeps into the ground, filling the open spaces, or pore space, within layers of sand or gravel (formations) beneath the land surface. Under the ground there is a zone of saturation where the subsurface is completely saturated with water. Layers of sand and gravel in this saturated zone are called aquifers. An aquifer is a geologic formation containing water in quantities sufficient to yield water to a well. The well pumps water to the surface where the water company treats it to ensure that it is safe to drink. It is then pumped into a storage tank and upon demand by the customer, flows through distribution pipes into the home and ultimately to the faucet.

    So, not only have you drank water that fish have been swimming in, you most likely drink water that humans and other animals have urinated in or crapped in too. It also has had a few hundred animals die in it also.

    surface water include creeks, lakes and streams.

    I'm pretty sure the bolded is pretty important...I'm pretty sure "I don't drink water that fish have been swimming in" is in reference to drinking that water directly from source...good grief.

    Say what you mean and mean what you say

    I did. I can't help it if some people are obtuse.
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
    ritzvin wrote: »
    My main hangup with it is that the tilapia and swai tends to be farmed from Vietnam/China, which don't exactly have the best environmental regulations, so I try not to eat it too often out of concern for potential chemical/heavy metals contamination. On the bright side, I recently read that tuna is showing lower levels of mercury contamination these days.

    Tilapia is farmed all over the world including in the US. Whole Foods now sells it. I think you'd have a hard time finding Chinese tilapia in the US these days. Most comes from Mexico, Honduras, and Indonesia.

    Meh. I'll buy a bag of salmon (or the usual China/Vietnam tilapia/swai) before I make any extra trips and pay the specialty-organic-store markup on anything. Every package I've seen of Tilapia (I can't speak for the local specialty organic/etc shops though) from the grocery stores I frequent is either Vietnam or China (most people buy tilapia because it's really cheap not because they prefer it to other fish..I can't blame the grocers for stocking the extra cheap stuff).
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
    ritzvin wrote: »
    ritzvin wrote: »
    My main hangup with it is that the tilapia and swai tends to be farmed from Vietnam/China, which don't exactly have the best environmental regulations, so I try not to eat it too often out of concern for potential chemical/heavy metals contamination. On the bright side, I recently read that tuna is showing lower levels of mercury contamination these days.

    Tilapia is farmed all over the world including in the US. Whole Foods now sells it. I think you'd have a hard time finding Chinese tilapia in the US these days. Most comes from Mexico, Honduras, and Indonesia.

    Meh. I'll buy a bag of salmon (or the usual China/Vietnam tilapia/swai) before I make any extra trips and pay the specialty-organic-store markup on anything. Every package I've seen of Tilapia (I can't speak for the local specialty organic/etc shops though) from the grocery stores I frequent is either Vietnam or China (most people buy tilapia because it's really cheap not because they prefer it to other fish..I can't blame the grocers for stocking the extra cheap stuff).

    Check Costco Kirkland frozen Tilapia loins. Great value.
  • perkymommy
    perkymommy Posts: 1,642 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    It's a pretty dirty fish...that fish will eat pretty much anything. It's farmed and they feed them chicken *kitten* instead of fish food. It's one of the reasons it's so cheap. It also doesn't have any benefit really in terms of omega 3 fatty acids.

    I've never eaten it. I only eat wild caught (frozen)...mostly Alaskan Sockeye and Alaskan Pacific Cod.

    I prefer the wild caught cod and flounder. I think there is a huge difference between them and the others I've tried.
  • Chunkahlunkah
    Chunkahlunkah Posts: 373 Member
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    sgt1372 wrote: »
    Jax2120 wrote: »
    sgt1372 wrote: »
    There is NOTHING wrong w/farmed tilapia.

    It's cheap, has no taste that I can notice (trout and salmon have stronger flavors) and has a firm flesh that is easy to cook in many ways (braise, poach, deep fry, stir fry or pan fry) and will take on any flavor you add to it.

    Then why so much hate for it? I see article after article saying it's the worst fish you can eat.

    Just nonsense IMO.

    Catfish is another farmed bottom fish and I don't hear similar criticism of it. Both are delicious when properly prepared and cooked.

    "Delicious" isn't a word I'd ever use to describe tilapia. I couldn't care less about what it eats or how it's raised, but I think it's the most bland, mushy, disgusting fish I've ever eaten. It's like the Tofu of the fish world - no flavor. I love most fish, but can't stand tilapia.

    The bold perfectly describes my perception of tilapia! I also love most fish, but I've had tilapia twice and both times I found it disgusting.
  • fitmom4lifemfp
    fitmom4lifemfp Posts: 1,572 Member

    The bold perfectly describes my perception of tilapia! I also love most fish, but I've had tilapia twice and both times I found it disgusting.

    Funny how everyone does have different tastes. I find it to be quite mild, and tasty. I dislike "fishy" tasting fish - I can't even tolerate the smell. So tilapia is fine.
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    sgt1372 wrote: »
    Jax2120 wrote: »
    sgt1372 wrote: »
    There is NOTHING wrong w/farmed tilapia.

    It's cheap, has no taste that I can notice (trout and salmon have stronger flavors) and has a firm flesh that is easy to cook in many ways (braise, poach, deep fry, stir fry or pan fry) and will take on any flavor you add to it.

    Then why so much hate for it? I see article after article saying it's the worst fish you can eat.

    Just nonsense IMO.

    Catfish is another farmed bottom fish and I don't hear similar criticism of it. Both are delicious when properly prepared and cooked.

    "Delicious" isn't a word I'd ever use to describe tilapia. I couldn't care less about what it eats or how it's raised, but I think it's the most bland, mushy, disgusting fish I've ever eaten. It's like the Tofu of the fish world - no flavor. I love most fish, but can't stand tilapia.

    The bold perfectly describes my perception of tilapia! I also love most fish, but I've had tilapia twice and both times I found it disgusting.

    As far as really cheap fish goes, I prefer swai - it has a slight sweetness to go with the mushy blandness. I mostly make it into tilapia/swai salad to go with crackers (boil/steam, mush with a little bit of light mayo, add seasoning). I much prefer salmon which is more expensive.
  • Chunkahlunkah
    Chunkahlunkah Posts: 373 Member
    Both times I had it was from my grocery store's section where they prepare a recipe but leave it to the consumer to cook it. Maybe they have a supplier whose tilapia is especially gross. I'd be willing to try it from someplace else. It would be a nice food to like since it's relatively inexpensive. The memory of the taste though. :s

    Most of the fish I eat is wild caught, but not all.
  • Carlos_421
    Carlos_421 Posts: 5,132 Member
    edited February 2017
    wizzybeth wrote: »
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    wizzybeth wrote: »
    Did you ever think about what all fish do in the water? If you are afraid of tilapia why would you ever drink water?

    Well I don't drink water that fish have been swimming in. Do you?

    My water comes from the Ohio river. Granted, it is filtered by Greater Cincinnati Water Works before it gets to my house but yeah, it's had fish swimming in it.

    Also, all those bottles of spring water at the grocery store? Those springs have fish in them.

    I've also gotten swigs of aquarium water accidentally when siphoning tanks. Didn't die.

    Key is it is filtered and treated. Even aquarium water is filtered. Can't believe I am even saying this. Seriously.

    I'm sure you could take a swig of water directly out of the Ohio River a day not die. A significant amount of it however would probably make you sick.

    In all fairness, your initial post about fish swimming in our water sounded a bit like the naive type statements you hear from people like "why would you kill a poor deer when you could buy meat from a store so nothing has to die?"
    Glad to hear you actually meant "you don't drink unfiltered water, do you?"

    Also, if anyone knows what goes on in a fish tank, I do. lol
    I breed aquarium fish to sell. The filtering in an aquarium is not so much a purging/waste removal process as it is a biological process where bacteria living in the filter break down toxic ammonia into even more toxic nitrites and then the nitrites into far less toxic nitrates (which can then be removed by water changes or by plants which consume the nitrates as nutrients).
    So there is still fish waste and other dissolved solids/organic matter in aquarium water.

    ETA: The biological filtration that occurs in fish tanks also occurs in lakes, rivers, streams, etc..
  • Carlos_421
    Carlos_421 Posts: 5,132 Member
    Gotta say, though. My favorite fish has got to be the fresh caught variety. Like crappie, bluegill and smallmouth bass.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    marm1962 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    marm1962 wrote: »
    wizzybeth wrote: »
    Did you ever think about what all fish do in the water? If you are afraid of tilapia why would you ever drink water?

    Well I don't drink water that fish have been swimming in. Do you?


    Lake Tahoe has fish swimming in it and is the best tasting drinking water, so yeah, I have.

    I am not sure where your drinking water comes from but, Drinking water comes from one of two sources: ground water or surface water. Ground water originates from precipitation that falls in the form of rain or snow and seeps into the ground, filling the open spaces, or pore space, within layers of sand or gravel (formations) beneath the land surface. Under the ground there is a zone of saturation where the subsurface is completely saturated with water. Layers of sand and gravel in this saturated zone are called aquifers. An aquifer is a geologic formation containing water in quantities sufficient to yield water to a well. The well pumps water to the surface where the water company treats it to ensure that it is safe to drink. It is then pumped into a storage tank and upon demand by the customer, flows through distribution pipes into the home and ultimately to the faucet.

    So, not only have you drank water that fish have been swimming in, you most likely drink water that humans and other animals have urinated in or crapped in too. It also has had a few hundred animals die in it also.

    surface water include creeks, lakes and streams.

    I'm pretty sure the bolded is pretty important...I'm pretty sure "I don't drink water that fish have been swimming in" is in reference to drinking that water directly from source...good grief.

    Say what you mean and mean what you say

    Or just be deliberately obtuse in your case...
  • Tania_181
    Tania_181 Posts: 100 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    It's a pretty dirty fish...that fish will eat pretty much anything. It's farmed and they feed them chicken *kitten* instead of fish food. It's one of the reasons it's so cheap. It also doesn't have any benefit really in terms of omega 3 fatty acids.

    This is false information largely linked to a media report about production in China. Tilapia can be responsibly produced - look out for the ASC logo on the packaging, and is a healthy source of protein. Tilapia is omnivorous, meaning that it can be produced without using fish meal, reducing its environmental impact. And frankly, if it were fed animal waste this would be a good environmental use!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Tania_181 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    It's a pretty dirty fish...that fish will eat pretty much anything. It's farmed and they feed them chicken *kitten* instead of fish food. It's one of the reasons it's so cheap. It also doesn't have any benefit really in terms of omega 3 fatty acids.

    This is false information largely linked to a media report about production in China. Tilapia can be responsibly produced - look out for the ASC logo on the packaging, and is a healthy source of protein. Tilapia is omnivorous, meaning that it can be produced without using fish meal, reducing its environmental impact. And frankly, if it were fed animal waste this would be a good environmental use!

    And frankly, I find it gross which is why I called it a dirty fish...I find that to be dirty and gross. It's also not a great source of Omega-3 unless it's fed a high Omega-3 diet. It also doesn't taste very good. I also prefer wild caught fish that are caught using sustainable fishing practices. I find most farmed fish to be undesirable and can have it's own set of environmental issues.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,334 Member
    I did some googling about it here in Australia. Apparently it was introduced in the 1970s and now presents one of the largest threats to Australia's biodiversity. They out-breed all the other species, screw up the habitat and wipe out the native fish. In NSW, the possession and sale of live tilapia is prohibited with penalties of up to $11,000 for possession; and up to $55,000 for sale. Release of tilapia can also carry penalties of up to $55,000.

    Nasty little buggers!
  • rhtexasgal
    rhtexasgal Posts: 572 Member
    Because I like to experiment, I have in the past had taste tests in my home. I have purchased both farmed Atlantic Salmon and wild-caught salmon as well as farmed tilapia and wild caught tilapia (although you cannot find this anymore and it has been a few years since I have done it). I made both salmon types the exact same way with the exact same seasonings and the same with the tilapia.

    Hands down, the wild caught fish of both kinds were far superior in flavor. While the farmed salmon did still taste like salmon, it did not have that richness of flavor. It was sort of bland. Tilapia - both were mild tasting but the farmed was also bland ... it wasn't that great. I will skimp in other ways in my budget to buy wild-caught fish and shrimp too.
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,961 Member
    I don't mind the fish. It's doesn't bother me. A lot of animals are gross. And I eat those too.

    I like basa though (catfish I think). Though I haven't had it as much since getting pregnant since it's also a farmed fish (which can increase mercury content).
  • markrgeary1
    markrgeary1 Posts: 853 Member
    I really, really hate to be the bearer of bad news, but for those of you who don't like organisms that eat the crap of other organisms, I have just two words: "oink" and "bawk."

    Especially if you are eating that fancy-pants organic, sustainable "free range" meat and eggs.....you ain't seen happy till you've seen chickens (or pigs) running over a huge pile of horse manure, or following the cows in a field and tearing up the pies. Mmmm...looka' them orange yolks!

    Remember kids: Recycled animal effluvium puts the "stain" in "sustainable."

    +1
    Pigs can be nasty, you have to separate the father from the young least he eats them. Don't ever go in a pig pen( with full size pigs) as the same can happen to you. Chickens, ducks, all fowl really are more than happy to scratch through another animals waste.

    Just like people are self cleansing so are the things that we eat..
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