Tilapia Prices

[ironchef]

You know, I only started eating Tilapia (aka Nile Perch) when I was on the mainland. In Hawaii, practically nobody eat this fish. It's known as the fish which lives in various streams, canals, ponds, etc. that have been contaminated. People catch it for fun then throw them back.

Anyway, I've noticed that the fish gained a lot of popularity a few years ago, and I was curious as to how much it costs where you live. The other day I saw it for $2.99/lb. for whole, fresh, farm raised fish. I've noticed that through posts on here, lots of people actually eat it.

So, how much is tilapia in your area?

 

[BreezyCooking]

The prices for it here in Virginia are pretty much the same as what you're seeing, although the filets are more like $3.99/lb.

I don't buy this fish because I'm just not a fan of farmed fish. We have a large ethnic supermarket in the area that sells Tilapia live from tanks, & just seeing them swimming about in that murky recirculated water makes me nauseous. I do buy farmed catfish & trout on rare occasion, but for some reason Tilapia leaves me cold. I find it completely tasteless.

 

[Dina]

$4.99 down here in Texas. Sometimes it'll go for $3.99 if it's reduced. I still buy it since it's our favorite fish.

 

[Chopstix]

We get large-sized live tilapia in the biggest wet market here for roughly $0.75 per pound. The fishmonger kills them in front of you after you select the ones you want. (Poor fish.) It's usually sold dead in the supermarkets for a higher price.

 

[buckytom]

it's about 3 or 4 bucks a pound here.
i've noticed a lot of sushi places are putting it in their deluxe plates, passing it off as tai or hirame. it's pretty much firm and flavorless.

 

[ironchef]

Hmm...so it pretty much seems to be the same price in a lot of places.

Man Bucky, any sushi place that does that with tilapia, I'd be really wary about what they're serving as their other fish. A place like that I think would not have any reservations about serving tuna that's been treated with carbon monoxide or scallops that have been bleached.

 

[buckytom]

some of it is pretty scary i.c.. lots of local take-out chinese places, nothing more than a rodent infested storefronts, offer sushi and sashimi to go. it makes me shudder...

 

[amber]

Here it is $2.99 lb. for fillets. I like tilapia, but now I'm not so sure after what IC mentioned about it possibly coming from contaminated streams, canals, etc.

 

[TATTRAT]

really cheap...2.79 pr/lb...alot compared to goldfish

I think it's price point is why it has even made it to some corperate menus,i.e. Outback Steakhouse.

 

[BreezyCooking]

I've noticed that too. In fact, in some of the family-type chains, like Ruby Tuesday's for instance, it's replaced catfish in most if not all of their fish sandwiches & other dishes.

Not surprising considering catfish filets run between $4.99 & $6.99 per pound retail around here.

 

[ironchef]

Here it is $2.99 lb. for fillets. I like tilapia, but now I'm not so sure after what IC mentioned about it possibly coming from contaminated streams, canals, etc.

The farmed tilapia you seen in stores should only have been raised in brackish water, but not contaminated water.

 

[Andy M.]

Costco has filets for $4.49 per pound.

 

[Michael in FtW]

Generally, here we see it in the $3-$5/lb range, sometimes as cheap as $2, sometimes as much as $6-$8. Depends on the season and the store.

 

[cats]

Here in DE, Tilapia goes for $5.99/lb. and sometimes on "sale" for $4.99/lb. fileted at a local fresh seafood market. It is practically the only fish filet we buy, except for salmon and/or tuna steaks. My husband and I like Tilapia even better than flounder because it does not have a "fishy" taste and grills up nicely after a bit of marinating for flavor. By the sound of the prices the rest of you are generally paying, our price here seems on the high side.

 

[Gretchen]

Actually farmed tilapia (not from a murky tank, however) is one of the OK fish, according to an article on our food pages this past week.

 

[VegasDramaQueen]

1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/4 tsp. paprika


2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. butter
Lemon

Dredge 3 Tilapia filets in the mixture then pan fry in the oil and butter 1 minute on each side or til browned. Sprinkle liberally with lemon juice. Awesome!

 

[Constance]

Tilapia fillets go for $3-$4 dollars a lb. here. I can occasionally get the whole fish, which I prefer for grilling.
I like tilapia, but then I never met a fish I didn't like.

 

[AlexR]

I would never eat Nile perch.
This report from the UN shows why.

http://www.fao.org/documents/show_cdr.asp?url_file=/docrep/005/T0037E/T0037E00.htm

Best regards,
Alex R.

 

[Dina]

Wow! Just got me some tilapia for $5.99 a pound yesterday. Prices sure are going up on this fish.

 

[amber]

The farmed tilapia you seen in stores should only have been raised in brackish water, but not contaminated water.

I dont recall if it was farmed or wild tilapia. I'll have to check next time I go to the grocery store.