Raising a Tilapia, then killing it and eating it?

Question

What are your opinions on this? Would you/have you done it? Is it even safe for afish raised in an aquarium(55 gal actually) to be eaten?

I think it'd be like killing their child to some people... Is tilapia one of those that recognize owners?

My school wants to do this and it just sort of bugs me. What are your opinions?

Answer 1

that is really sick to me.

in morals and taste.

i don't like to eat fish, never have.

Answer 2

Yes, it would be safe to eat.  I could do it, but I would not do it.  Tilapia is delicious with lemon juice and butter sauce, though.

Tilapia is a large cichlid, and yes, they would begin to recognize you when you came to feed them.

The difference here is that you would see it every day as it was fed and cared for in the classroom.  That would be the deal breaker for me.  I can eat beef, but not if I had raised it myself and cared for it.

No matter what, I think I would develop a bond with the fish that would not allow me to kill and eat it.  I even have a hard time feeding culls (deformed or runts) from a batch of fry to larger fish.  

8

Answer 3

If you don't want to do this dont participate.

Answer 4

Unfortunately, I cannot agree with it just because I have had a passion for fish my entire life. Honestly, so many things can go wrong when you raise a fish in your home. Wild fish are the ones meant to be eaten, not household pets. Wild fish actually eat the best of what they are supposed to. Remember, you are in a way eating what that tilapia is eating. I just can't see myself killing a fish that has lived in my home and I have raised like a pet.

Any fish will recognize you after a certain amount of time. They know that you are their caretaker. Some fish have great personalities with their owners, depending on each individual fish. I have always noticed that bettas notice me when I walk up to them.

I think it is very hard to raise a fish that you will then eat. Not just the thought of killing a "pet", but also the thought of what condition that fish was in before I ate it. You have to control everything.

I don't know if it's possible, but I think it would be neat if you got the tilapia that you were supposed to kill and just kept it as a pet. Maybe that would go against your school, but I still think it's a great idea. If you are not interested in the idea and you can't keep it as a pet, then do not participate.

Please email me if you have more questions.

Good luck!

Kenzie.

Answer 5

Personally I think it is rather gross.  It seems to me that there are other things to do.  Why don't they raise Angel Fish, or Gold Fish. Or just have an aquarium for the children to watch the fish and learn how to keep it clean and running.