Tilapia Culture

TILAPIA CULTURE

Ideal Species for cultureIdeal Species for culture Can be bred in any type of waterbody (prolific breeder)Can be bred in any type of waterbody (prolific breeder) Omnivorous feeding habit, eats almost anything hence termed as Omnivorous feeding habit, eats almost anything hence termed as

‘Aquatic chicken’‘Aquatic chicken’ Can tolerate low D.OCan tolerate low D.O

Hardy in nature (can be reared in any waterbody)Hardy in nature (can be reared in any waterbody) Good growth rateGood growth rate Relished by peopleRelished by people

DisadvantageDisadvantage

However its However its early maturation early maturation (10 cm / 30gms (10 cm / 30gms

body weight)body weight) and frequent reproduction and frequent reproduction causes causes overpopulation overpopulation in the fish ponds.in the fish ponds.

Overpopulation results in competition for Overpopulation results in competition for food between stocked fishes and newly food between stocked fishes and newly recruited ones, finally resulting in recruited ones, finally resulting in reduced reduced growth rategrowth rate resulting in many small sized resulting in many small sized tilapias at harvest.tilapias at harvest.

Growth rate of male is higher than females, Growth rate of male is higher than females, hence hence mono-culture/mono-sex culturemono-culture/mono-sex culture is is carried out.carried out.

Tilapia are native to Africa, Israel and Jordan

Best growth- above 250C

Spawning - above 200C

Death- 10 to 120C

Water Temperatures for:

80 species80 species have been described, have been described, 3-4 3-4 principal species are used for cultureprincipal species are used for culture

Classified into 3 groupsClassified into 3 groups

• Oreochromis spOreochromis sp (Maternal mouthbreeders) (Maternal mouthbreeders)

• Sarotherodon sp Sarotherodon sp (Biparental mouthbreeders)(Biparental mouthbreeders)

• Tilapia spTilapia sp (Substrate spawner) (Substrate spawner)

Presently, Nile tilapia is the most popular Presently, Nile tilapia is the most popular tilapia for culture because of its tilapia for culture because of its fast growth.fast growth.

Popular Cultured TilapiasPopular Cultured TilapiasNile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

The red tilapia variety is popular because consumers The red tilapia variety is popular because consumers are attracted to its are attracted to its pleasing colorpleasing color and and some red some red tilapia strains can be cultured in full strength sea tilapia strains can be cultured in full strength sea water.water. (The red coloration is a genetic mutation (The red coloration is a genetic mutation found in Nile, Mozambique and Blue tilapia.)found in Nile, Mozambique and Blue tilapia.)

Popular Cultured TilapiasPopular Cultured TilapiasRed Tilapia

Blue Tilapia (Oreochromis aureus)

The blue tilapia is native to Israel and The blue tilapia is native to Israel and is more tolerant to cold water is more tolerant to cold water temperatures than most tilapia.temperatures than most tilapia.

Popular Cultured TilapiasPopular Cultured Tilapias

Mozambique Tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus)

Popular Cultured TilapiasPopular Cultured Tilapias

Mozambique tilapia was the Mozambique tilapia was the first and most widely first and most widely distributed tilapia species outside of Africadistributed tilapia species outside of Africa and is and is present in most Asian countriespresent in most Asian countries. However, its . However, its slow slow growthgrowth and and dark colour have reduced its dark colour have reduced its importanceimportance as a culture fish. as a culture fish.

Most tilapia are cultured in fresh water.

However, as fresh water is limited, more farmers are trying to

culture tilapia in brackish and sea water.

The Mozambique tilapia and red tilapia can be grown in full

strength sea water.

Nile tilapia and Blue tilapia will grow well in water up to 15 ppt

saltwater.

All species of tilapia reproduce best in fresh water or salt water

with salinities lower than 10 ppt.

Major Tilapia Producing nations Major Tilapia Producing nations ChinaChina EgyptEgypt ThailandThailand PhilippinesPhilippines IndonesiaIndonesia

NATURAL BREEDINGNATURAL BREEDING

Males and femalesMales and females reach reach sexual maturitysexual maturity when they are when they are 3 to 5 months of age.3 to 5 months of age.

Males dig a Males dig a bowl shaped nest bowl shaped nest in soft bottom substrates in soft bottom substrates located in shallow water. located in shallow water.

The The male defends his nest male defends his nest territory territory from invasion by other from invasion by other males.males.

Females Females ready to spawn enter ready to spawn enter a nest and after a short a nest and after a short courtship, courtship, lay their eggs on the lay their eggs on the nest bottom. The male quickly nest bottom. The male quickly fertilizes the eggs. The female fertilizes the eggs. The female picks up the fertilized eggs in picks up the fertilized eggs in her mouth for incubation.her mouth for incubation. The The female leaves the nest area to female leaves the nest area to care for her eggs.care for her eggs.

Males dig and defend a nest

Females incubates eggs in mouth

The The female will incubate the eggs in her female will incubate the eggs in her mouth for 5 to 6 days mouth for 5 to 6 days before they hatch. before they hatch.

The The female will continue to care for the yolk-female will continue to care for the yolk-sac fry sac fry ((8 to 10 mm long)8 to 10 mm long) in her mouth. in her mouth. Fry Fry that are free-swimming and leave the that are free-swimming and leave the females mouth to feed are still cared for by females mouth to feed are still cared for by the female. At any sign of danger, the the female. At any sign of danger, the female signals the fry and they swim back female signals the fry and they swim back into her mouth for protection. into her mouth for protection.

The female cares for the eggs and fry for 2 The female cares for the eggs and fry for 2 to 3 weeks. During this time, she does not to 3 weeks. During this time, she does not eat. eat.

Females can spawn 4 to 6 times a year Females can spawn 4 to 6 times a year where water temperature permit.where water temperature permit. Females Females spawn about spawn about 1 to 2 eggs per gram body 1 to 2 eggs per gram body weight.weight. A 400 g female can spawn between A 400 g female can spawn between 400 to 800 eggs.400 to 800 eggs.

Tilapia egg fecundity per spawn is low but Tilapia egg fecundity per spawn is low but egg and fry survival are high because of egg and fry survival are high because of parental care.parental care.

Females defend the fry

Seed productionSeed production Tilapia spawn naturally in a Tilapia spawn naturally in a

variety of containers.variety of containers.a) Pondsa) Pondsb) Cages (hapas)b) Cages (hapas)c) Tanksc) Tanks

PONDS:PONDS:

• Cultured tilapia are mostly Cultured tilapia are mostly spawned in small earthen ponds.spawned in small earthen ponds.

• Normal Normal stocking density in stocking density in earthen ponds is 1 brooder per earthen ponds is 1 brooder per mm22 and a ratio of 1 male for and a ratio of 1 male for every 2 to 3 females.every 2 to 3 females.

• Fry and small fingerlings are Fry and small fingerlings are periodically harvested from the periodically harvested from the ponds with a seine net.ponds with a seine net. Ponds

Cages & TanksCages & Tanks Tilapia can also be Tilapia can also be

spawned in small mesh spawned in small mesh cages (hapas) or in cages (hapas) or in concrete or fiberglass concrete or fiberglass tanks.tanks.

Tilapia do not need a soft Tilapia do not need a soft substrate to spawn. substrate to spawn. Males, though unable to Males, though unable to dig a nest, still defend a dig a nest, still defend a territory and females lay territory and females lay their eggs on the hard their eggs on the hard bottom.bottom.

Stocking density in cages Stocking density in cages or tanks is or tanks is 3 to 5 3 to 5 brooders per mbrooders per m2 2 and a and a ratio of 1 male to 1 ratio of 1 male to 1 female.female.

Cages ( hapas )

Tanks

Fry can be harvested:

2. 40 days after stocking brood fish - Increased survival / No handling stress - Cannibalism of large fry on small fry lowers the number of fry harvested per female

1. 18 days after stocking brood fish- Higher numbers of fry per female - Lower survival due to handling stress

3. Harvesting - Both partial/complete harvesting can be done

Eggs can be removed from females:

Incubating Tilapia eggs

Yolk-sac tilapia fry

Tilapia CultureTilapia Culture Different culture systems employedDifferent culture systems employed

• Earthen pond, Earthen pond, • Concrete tank, Concrete tank, • Raceway, Raceway, • CageCage

Different management strategy employedDifferent management strategy employed• Extensive, Extensive, • Semi-intensive, Semi-intensive, • Intensive, Intensive, • Monoculture, Monoculture, • Polyculture, Polyculture, • Monosex culture, Monosex culture, • Mixed sex culture Mixed sex culture

System and strategy employed depends on farmer’s System and strategy employed depends on farmer’s resources, site characteristics, environmental resources, site characteristics, environmental conditions, socio-economic factors, technological know-conditions, socio-economic factors, technological know-how and market demand. how and market demand.

Tilapia can be cultured as:1.Mixed sexes

Males and females together

2. Mono-sex Only males

Advantages: 1. Technically easy

Disadvantages: 1. Small harvest weight 2. Mixed sizes at harvest

Mixed-sex Culture

Stocking a predacious fish with mixed-sex tilapiawill control tilapia density and increase final harvest weight.

Asian Sea Bass

Notopterus spp

Advantages: 1. Large harvest weight 2. Uniform size at harvest

Disadvantages: 1. Technically difficult

Mono-sex culture

Mono-sex male tilapia populations can be produced by:

1. Visual selection

2. Hybridization

3. Sex-reversal

4. Genetic manipulation

Male Populations

Visual Selection of the Genital Papilla

Male papilla

Female papilla withoviduct

anus

anus

Hybridization

Male Hornorum tilapia

Female Nile tilapia All-male hybrid tilapia

ZZ

XX

XZ

Sex Reversal of Tilapia Fry During the last 10 to 15 years, the most During the last 10 to 15 years, the most

popular way to produce all-male populations popular way to produce all-male populations is with is with hormone sex reversalhormone sex reversal of tilapia fry. of tilapia fry.

Recently hatched tilapia fry fed a Recently hatched tilapia fry fed a powdered powdered diet containing a male steroid for 20 to 28 diet containing a male steroid for 20 to 28 days. days.

Fry that would have been females if fed a Fry that would have been females if fed a steroid diet, will be functional males at the steroid diet, will be functional males at the end of the hormone treatment. end of the hormone treatment.

While all-male populations are hard to While all-male populations are hard to produce with sex reversal treatment, 95 to produce with sex reversal treatment, 95 to 98 % males are commonly produced.98 % males are commonly produced.

Genetic Manipulation

1) XXF + XYM

estrogen

XXF + XY”F”

2) XY”F” x XYM

XXF + 2 XYM + YYM

3) XXF x YYM

100% XYM

Tilapia are raised in:

Small earthen ponds

Tilapia are raised in:Large earthen ponds

Harvested tilapia are held in net enclosures while waiting to be loaded onto trucks for transport to processors.

Tilapia are raised in:Floating cages

Tilapia are raised in:Circular tanks with partial water exchange and mechanical aeration

Tilapia are raised in:Raceways with constant water exchange

Tilapia are raised in:Indoors with water reuse, mechanical aeration and oxygen injection

Tilapia ponds can be fertilized with organic and inorganic fertilizers to increase yield

Tilapia can be fed to increase yield

Tilapia can be fedAgricultural by-products Pelleted feeds

sinking

floating

cottonseed meal wheat bran

rice bran

Tilapia can be purchasedAt supermarkets and fish shops

whole on ice

fresh and frozen fillets

1. Feeds low on the food chain

2. Accepts wide range of feeds

3. Resistant to poor water quality, disease and handling

4. Good flesh quality

5. Fingerlings easy to produce round the year

Advantages of Farming Tilapia

1. Sensitive to low water temperatures

2. Reach sexual maturity at a young age

3. Males grow faster than females

4. Difficult to harvest from earthen ponds with a seine

5. Low dressout percentage of fillet

Disadvantages of raising tilapia