Tilapia is a fish that can be used in food recipes, fish ponds, tailoring, and as an ingredient for Quality Fertilizers in Stardew Valley. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to find, since an abundance of fish already roam the waters surrounding Pelican Town. Catching this fish successfully depends not only on where you are but also on when you try.
Luckily, we know exactly when and where to catch Tilapia in Stardew Valley. Compared to some of the other potential catches in the game, obtaining this particular creature is a bit easier, coupled with extra opportunities to acquire some without fishing. In truth, you have options, but let’s get started with where you can find the fish in question.
Best Place to Catch Tilapia
Tilapia is known for swimming in warmer waters, with Summer and Fall acting as their primary active seasons for players to catch in Stardew Valley. Mainly, players will need to fish over at the Ocean located south of Pelican Town. The other option, however, brings us to Ginger Island, the other area of the game where players can venture outdoors.
Truthfully, Ginger Island is the best place to find Tilapia at any time in Stardew Valley. Go fishing on Island West in freshwater, or Island North to find the fish in question. It is possible to find them elsewhere, too, but it will be more difficult to manage. During the Summer and Fall, for instance, you will be able to find it in the Ocean along with many other fish: Flounder, Octopus, Red Snapper, Tuna, Super Cucumber, and more.
As a final resort, you can also buy Tilapia at the Traveling Cart, if it’s available. This only happens by a rare chance, with a price range falling into 225-1,000g. Alternatively, on Wednesdays, it might be for sale at the fish from Krobus’ shop for only 200g, too. It only requires you to locate the Rusty Key to enter the Sewers, where the friendly monster resides and sells goods.
There and Back Again to Ginger Island
There’s no doubt here that the wonderful land of Ginger Island is highly dependable for your progression throughout Stardew Valley. Not only can we grow crops all year round but we are also greeted with new adventures and items to explore. If you need a quick recap on how to get there or return for some, let’s go through the steps on landing on Ginger Island.
Ginger Island is located in the Fern Islands archipelago. To get there, you will have to go to Willy’s Fish Shop and find his backroom. After repairing the boat, you will be able to buy tickets to visit the island. Just remember that tickets won’t be available until you complete the Joja Community Development Form or the Community Center in Pelican Town. Once done fishing, returning to Stardew Valley is done by returning to the boat. It can be found on the southern beach, which will end up leaving you at Willy’s Fish Shop. It might be different on festival days, though. In that case, your character will arrive at the Bus Stop due to a block in the path.
Expert Tip
For easy access to the Beach with the help of a Warp Totem, you’ll need to complete the Ocean Fish Bundle that includes our Tilapia. It also requires Sardine, Tuna, and Red Snapper, which are all found in the Ocean. Consider bringing some bait with you to the lively area to catch as many fish as you can within a short period of time.
What Is Tilapia Used For?
Fishers and Anglers will take great advantage of the Tilapia fish, as their sell prices continuously increase through each quality.
To keep bartering transactions in mind, here are the sell prices for the Tilapia along with each quality and increased price with the help of either the Fisher or Angler professions:
- Base – 75g (Regular), 93g (Silver), 112g (Gold), 150g (Iridium).
- Fisher Profession – 93g (Regular), 116g (Silver), 140g (Gold), 187g (Iridium).
- Angler Profession – 112g (Regular), 139g (Silver), 168g (Gold), 225g (Iridium).
While the prices may not seem that prosperous, your Tilapai is capable of producing Roe in the Fish Pond. The capacity can be increased to 10 of them by completing three quests for the pond. Additionally, Demetrius may request at some point for 10 Tilapia to be obtained during the Summer season. The Farm Computer Recipe will then be rewarded to you upon completing the special order.
This is all you need to know about where to find Tilapia in Stardew Valley. Now go ahead and start gathering Tilapia to make Quality Fertilizers and Maki Rolls. Please note that although this fish can be gifted to NPCs, you should avoid doing it. No one will actually like it, and some will dislike or even outright hate it as a gift.
