There are 72 fish in Stardew Valley (if you include the three Jellies), and each has specific requirements or conditions to catch. Tilapia is among the hardest of the regular fish to reel in, and tracking it down can seem nearly impossible if you’re new to the game.
Fishing in Stardew Valley can be tricky. Some fish only come out during certain seasons, weather, or specific times. Tilapia has multiple spawning conditions that need to be met before you can reel one in, but don’t worry, here’s everything you need to know.
How to catch Tilapia in Stardew Valley
Tilapia is a fish that loves the warmth, so if you want to reel it in yourself, especially early into a playthrough, you’ll need to wait until Summer or Fall. During these seasons, Tilapia can be caught off the shore of the Beach in the mornings (between 6 am and 2 pm).
Once you’ve repaired both the Community Center and Willy’s Boat, you’ll gain access to Ginger Island. Here, you don’t need to worry about the season at all, as both crops and fish will ignore their usual restrictions. Tilapia can be reeled in from the waters around Ginger Island at any time.
Magic Bait can also be useful for negating any seasonal or time restraints for any fish, including Tilapia.
If you’re not a fan of fishing in Stardew Valley, don’t worry, there are a couple of alternative ways to get your hands on Tilapia without ever having to pick up a rod:
- Krobus’ Shop: Can show up randomly on a Wednesday for 200 Gold
- Traveling Cart: Can show up at any time when the Cart is present for between 225 and 1,000 Gold
How to use Tilapia in Stardew Valley
While simply catching a Tilapia and filling out the collection can be rewarding in itself, Tilapia can also be useful in a few different ways. However, your first use for any Tilapia you catch should always be as part of the Ocean Fish Bundle in the Fish Tank at the Community Center.
Once you’ve done that, here’s everything else you can do with the Summer-loving fish.
Recipes
Although Tilapia isn’t called for as a named ingredient in any recipes, it can be used in the following recipes that call for 1 of any Fish:
| Item | Recipe | How to get recipe |
|---|---|---|
| Maki Roll | 1 of any Fish 1 Seaweed 1 Rice | Queen of Sauce (Year 1, Summer 21) |
| Quality Fertilizer | 1 of any Fish 4 Sap | Farming (Level 8) |
| Sashimi | 1 of any Fish | Linus (3 hearts) |
Quests
Once you begin working through quests at the Special Order Board, you may come across one called “Aquatic Overpopulation” from Demetrius. Tilapia is one of many fish that Demetrius can request you catch, and you’ll need to get 10 of them to complete this quest and earn the recipe for the Farm Computer as a reward.
Tailoring
If you use Tilapia as an item in the spool of a Sewing Machine, you’ll get a Sailor Shirt. This item is dyeable, so there are endless possibilities for customization while wearing it.
Fish Pond
Tilapia can be put into a Fish Pond, and will reproduce every two days. They’re not the most useful fish to keep captive, though, as their only possible output while in the Fish Pond is Roe.
