What's the deal with Tilapia & Swai?

About 6 years ago, I looked into acquiring an organic fish farming operation. I learned a fair bit about Tilapia. Without getting too deeply into it, I'd recommend people avoid Tilapia entirely. Clever marketing on their part to try and confuse consumers, IMO.

CW

 

Tilapia is the perfect fish for farming, it can handle a wide swing in water temps, it can handle dirty water, it can live in tight conditions and it eats about anything.

To dine on it....... very little flavor .... there is a reason chef's at good restaurants don't serve it.

Want a inexpensive fresh water fish go for FRESH catfish. Lots of flavor.

 

Tilapia is junk fish-food. yuck.

 

Costco's gonna take a hit! LOL

 

I've tried it and haven't like it. I was just talking with a friend last night though who says she eats it 2-3 times a week. I've never been much of a freshwater fish person myself and much prefer something like Halibut or Cod over Trout or even Steelhead. I guess it all depends on taste!?

So what is so bad about Tilapia? Is it just a junk eating fish or what? As far as farm raised, I pretty much avoid any farm raised fish if I can. It just doesn't have the same flavor and certainly not the same nutrients.

 

I don't eat fish, but my wife does. I cook it for her all the time. If I was going to eat fish, I would eat farm raised catfish and deep water ocean fish.

Funny thing is my father was a Marine Biologist and even has a reef named for him. He loved to eat fish, but I can't stand it!

 

I'm going to pass this info on to my friend. She is losing weight and doing well but slower than she would like to be. The higher levels of fat in the farm raised Tilapia may be hurting more than helping her efforts!

 

Oh by the way, fixed it for ya!!

 

So you recommend a bottom feeder?

 

Go with anything wild caught vs. farmed.

 

I don't eat fish, but if I did I certainly wouldn't eat Tilapia. Those were the sewer fish when we lived in Hawaii. Yuck.

 

seriously!! They taste like mud! YUCK

 

Had fresh halibut a couple weeks ago, first time ever. Very good.

 

I'll go against the grain & say that I like tilapia - or at the very least, the Sam's Club parmesan crusted tilapia filets.

For those who are squeamish & think of them as a junk fish or bottom feeder - I've caught plenty of catfish & bullheads & seen what was in their stomachs. Lobsters and crabs also have a pretty disgusting appetite.

If you think high fallutin' fish like Chilean sea bass (which is neither from Chile, nor a bass) or swordfish are better options - you should see some of the internal (as in living in the muscle/flesh you eat) parasites those often have. Swordfish in specific can have some very nasty worms...

 

I'll keep eating talapia too. I think it tastes just fine.

 

You could coat a shoe in parmesan, fry it and it would taste good, but to each his own. Try bluegill or crappie some time, they look similar to tilapia, but the flavor is 10x and sweet!

 

I've eaten plenty of bluegill & crappie, sunfish as well. Have caught many thousands over the years. Yes, they can taste excellent, but they certainly aren't sold fresh or frozen where I currently live. I'll stick with the tilapia based on availability, flavor, and price.

 

A fishmonger friend warned me years ago that Tilapia was a trash fish. I ate it anyway as it was a good "gateway drug" for a then non fisheater like me. Little flavor of it's own and nice white firm flesh.
Lowly tilapia brought me to appreciate other fish with much more character.

 

Tilapia, as previously mentioned, is an easy fish to grow due to its ability to live in varying environmental conditions. This hardiness has allowed it to be the fish of choice for many fish farmers who use the fish to produce large quantities of protein at a reasonable price. Farmed fish can, and do, have varying degrees of cleanliness. Watch for these efforts to expand. Yellow perch is another fish to farm species.