The Fish
We are growing tilapia.
Tilapia are very hardy fish. That makes them perfect fish for farming due to the fluctuating weather we have in Jonesport, Maine.
Tilapia fry
Tilapia fry or tilapia babies are raised in a little aquarium in our classroom. Once they start getting bigger, they are then moved outside into a much larger tank in our greenhouse.
Juvenile Tilapia
Juvenile tilapia are the fish sized in between the adults and the fry. They're not quite big enough to be with the adults, but they're too big to stay with the fry.
Adult Tilapia
Adult tilapia stay in a tank connected to our plant bed. The waste from the adult tilapia goes through plumbing, provides nutrients for our crops, then makes its way back into the tank. Once the adult tilapia are fully grown, they get harvested for food.
Why do we separate our fish by size?
If the juvenile fish are placed with the adult fish, the adult fish will try to eat the juvenile fish.