Food-grade fish
82 species used in aquaponics worldwide. Grouped by temperature class, which is the first decision you make when designing a system: it dictates whether you need a heater, a chiller, or neither.
Shows species that overwinter in an outdoor pond at your zone. Species outside the range can still be kept in indoor heated systems year-round.
Warm-water fish 49
Tropical and subtropical species; need heating in temperate climates. Most aquaponics is built around warm-water fish because they grow faster and tolerate higher stocking densities.
- African sharptooth catfish Clarias gariepinus
- Australian red claw crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus
- Barramundi Lates calcarifer
- Bighead carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis
- Black bullhead Ameiurus melas
- Blue catfish Ictalurus furcatus
- Blue tilapia Oreochromis aureus
- Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus
- Catla Labeo catla
- Channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus
- Climbing perch Anabas testudineus
- Common carp Cyprinus carpio
- Flathead catfish Pylodictis olivaris
- Giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii
- Giant gourami Osphronemus goramy
- Gibel carp Carassius gibelio
- Golden perch Macquaria ambigua
- Grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella
- Hybrid catfish Clarias macrocephalus × Clarias gariepinus
- Hybrid sunfish Lepomis macrochirus × Lepomis cyanellus
- Jade perch Scortum barcoo
- Japanese eel Anguilla japonica
- Koi Cyprinus rubrofuscus
- Largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides
- Milkfish Chanos chanos
- Mozambique tilapia Oreochromis mossambicus
- Mrigal Cirrhinus mrigala
- Mud carp Cirrhinus molitorella
- Murray cod Maccullochella peelii
- Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus
- Pacu Piaractus mesopotamicus
- Pangasius Pangasianodon hypophthalmus
- Pirapatinga Piaractus brachypomus
- Pirarucu Arapaima gigas
- Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus
- Red hybrid tilapia Oreochromis spp. (hybrid)
- Red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii
- Redear sunfish Lepomis microlophus
- Rohu Labeo rohita
- Silver barb Barbonymus gonionotus
- Silver carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix
- Silver perch Bidyanus bidyanus
- Snakeskin gourami Trichopodus pectoralis
- Striped snakehead Channa striata
- Tambaqui Colossoma macropomum
- Wels catfish Silurus glanis
- White bass Morone chrysops
- White crappie Pomoxis annularis
- Wuchang bream Megalobrama amblycephala
Cool-water fish 22
Tolerate a wide temperature swing but grow best in the 18 to 24°C (64 to 75°F) range. Slower growth than warm-water species in exchange for lower heating costs.
- American paddlefish Polyodon spathula
- Australian bass Percalates novemaculeata
- Black crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus
- Crucian carp Carassius carassius
- European eel Anguilla anguilla
- European perch Perca fluviatilis
- Hybrid striped bass Morone chrysops × M. saxatilis
- Marron Cherax cainii
- Noble crayfish Astacus astacus
- Northern pike Esox lucius
- Pikeperch Sander lucioperca
- Russian sturgeon Acipenser gueldenstaedtii
- Sauger Sander canadensis
- Saugeye Sander vitreus × Sander canadensis
- Siberian sturgeon Acipenser baerii
- Signal crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus
- Smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu
- Striped bass Morone saxatilis
- Tench Tinca tinca
- Walleye Sander vitreus
- Yabby Cherax destructor
- Yellow perch Perca flavescens
Cold-water fish 11
Need water below 20°C (68°F); trout systems are typically unheated in temperate regions and chilled where ambient gets too warm.
- Arctic char Salvelinus alpinus
- Atlantic salmon Salmo salar
- Brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis
- Brown trout Salmo trutta
- Burbot Lota lota
- Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
- Coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch
- Lake sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens
- Rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss
- Sterlet Acipenser ruthenus
- White sturgeon Acipenser transmontanus