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Some info for you:
Have a look at this...It is good for U!
http://www.extension.org/sites/default/files/w/1/1d/Pond_Man
agement_and_In-
depth_Response_to_FAQs_from_Pond_Owners_and_Manage
rs.pdf
Identification

The tilapias are members of the family Cichlidae.

- characterisitic body shape

- long dorsal fin

- fins have sharp spines

- pectoral and pelvic fins are close to the head

Tilapias are native to Africa and the Middle East. They have spread mainly
through introductions for fish farming and are now found in all tropical and semi-
tropical continents. Today, tilapias are one of the most popular fish for culture in
the world, being reared in Africa, Europe, throughout the Pacific, China, Israel,
USA and the Caribbean.

This is an "all-male" hybrid O.niloticus x O.aureus grown in intensive tanks in

Zambia.
Taxonomy

Until the late 1970's the tilapias, were all classified into a single genus, Tilapia,
however most taxonomists now classify them into three
genera, Tilapia, Saratherodon and Oreochromis according to their breeding
behaviour.

Tilapia species construct nests on the pond bottom and guard the eggs and young
in the nest. They have coarse teeth and few gill rakers, are generally herbivorous
and macrophytophagous. e.g. Tilapia zilli, Tilapia rendalli

Sarotherodon species brood the eggs and the larvae in the mouth of the male. They
have fine teeth and more gill rakers, and are microphagous and omnivorous.
e.g. Sarotherodon galilaeus.

The genus Oreochromis contains all the best species for aquaculture. They have
similar feeding habits to Sarotherodon spp., however eggs and fry are incubated in
the mouth of the female. e.g. Oreochromis niloticus, Oreochromis mossambicus.

Not all taxonomists accept this classification and it is still common to see the Nile
Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus referred to as Tilapia nilotica, particularly in
American literature.

The Suitability of Tilapia for Culture

The following factors all contribute to the ease of cultivation of tilapias; a)

Resistance to poor water quality and disease b) Tolerance to a wide range of
environmental conditions c) Ability to convert efficiently organic, domestic and
agricultural wastes, into high quality protein d) Good growth rates e) Easy to grow
in intensive culture

The life cycle of Nile Tilapia is as follows:

1. The male makes a nest (or defends an area on the bottom of a tank or even a fine
meshed cage) and attracts ripe females to the nest with courtship displays.

2. The female lays eggs in the nest, where they are fertilised by the male, and
immediately picked up in the mouth of the female.

3. The male will continue to court other females, while the female which has just
spawned retreats away from the nest to incubate the eggs.

4. The eggs hatch in the mouth of the female after about five days (depending on
temperature) and the hatchlings remain in the mouth while they absorb their yolk
sac.

5. Gradually the fry start swimming out of the mouth to feed, but return to the
mouth at any sign of danger

6. Once the fry have become too large to fit in the females mouth, they become
totally independent and swim to warm, sheltered water such as the edge of a pond

7. The eggs of a female are stimulated to develop once the previous batch of
offspring are released, so after a period of recovery, she will return to spawn within
4 weeks.

There are a number of points to note:

- for most species of Oreochromis, water temperatures need to be above 22oC for
spawning to take place. If temperatures are above 22oC all year, spawning will be
continuous, if it falls below 22oC, spawning will be seasonal.

- the male plays no part in parental care and can mate with many females at a time,
therefore sex ratios in breeding ponds can be as high as 7 females : 1 male

- the mouth size of the female determines how many fry are in a brood, bigger
females have bigger broods, however usual brood sizes would be 100-500 fry

- the eggs are relatively large, producing large fry which do not need live feed at
first feeding

- removing the eggs or fry prematurely from a brooding female, will increase the
frequency of spawning

- in poor conditions, species such as Oreochromis mossambicus can become

sexually mature at a small size (from 10g) within 4-6 months of hatching; this can
lead to ponds becoming overpopulated with small, unsaleable fish.
- in actively breeding populations of tilapia, much of the resources of the females
are tied up with reproduction, either producing eggs, or being unable to feed during
mouthbrooding; this means that the growth rates of males are much higher than
females.

Husbandry Techniques

Tilapia were introduced to many countries in the 1950's and 1960's as a "wonder
fish" however bad experiences where over breeding in ponds led to the production
of small, low value fish at harvest meant that many discouraged tilapia culture,
calling it a "weed fish". This image still persists despite the fact that husbandry
techniques developed over the last 20 years have revolutionised the expectations of
tilapia culture, making it one of the most productive forms of finfish aquaculture in
the world.

Four hatchery and stocking practices have contributed most to this change:

- stocking good species such as Oreochromis niloticus instead of Oreochromis

mossambicus

- hand sexing of juveniles

- hybridization

- hormonal sex reversal

Stocking Practices

Often the easiest option to improve performance is the selection of a better tilapia
species. O. mossambicus was generally the first tilapia to be spread round the
world. It is hardy, but displays some of the most undesireable characteristics. It
breeds at a very small size, is difficult to grow to a reasonable market size (100g+)
with huge differences in growth between the sexes. O. niloticus is much faster
growing, tends to breed later at a larger size, and given the right conditions can
easily grow to 300g or even to over 1kg. The switch from O. mossambicus to O.
niloticus has been one of the major reasons for the impressive production levels
now seen in countries such as Taiwan and the Philippines. The main problem with
changing from one species to another has been maintaining stocks of the pure new
species. The species will often interbreed to produce breeding hybrids, which
rapidly lose their original growth performance particularly after the infiltration
of O. mossambicus into the strain.

Hand Sexing of Juveniles

There are clear differences between the sexes in tilapia species, particularly in the
form of the urinogenital opening, fin morphology and adult colouration. Sexing
large fish is easier than small fish as differences in the urinogenital openings are
more obvious. Skilled hatchery workers can achieve over 95 % male populations
on 5-7 cm fish. It helps to use aids such as magnifying glasses and coloured dyes
(halcyon blue, ink, malachite green) to accentuate the genitalia.

Hand sexing requires extensive nursery facilities for ongrowing of fry to produce
advanced fingerlings for sexing at around 20 g. Fish of this size are also more able
to resist handling, stress and predation. It is, however a relatively inefficient means
of producing an all male population; half of the fish are rejected. Culled females
can be sold or used as feed.

Hybridisation

Tilapia genetics is complicated; hybridisation between species sometimes produces

offspring with a skewed sex ratio, more males than females or more females than
males; over 25 different hybrid combinations of tilapias have been shown to
produce 80 % male (this is desirable because males grow faster than females).

Commercial use of hybridisation is not widespread because little is known about

the characteristics of these hybrids other than their sex ratio.

Hybrid performance will be intermediate to the characteristics of the parents; there

is little evidence for hybrid vigour between any interspecific hybrids, but can show
positive traits from both parents.

O. hornorum is the only known species which consistently produces all male fry
when crossed with O. niloticus or O. mossambicus.

O. niloticus female and O. aureus male, produces 80-90 % males, with the growth
vigour of O. niloticus and the cold tolerance of O. aureus.

The main problem is the maintenance of the pure lines.

Hormone Sex Reversal

This is a cost effective way of producing a 100 % male population. You need a
tank or hapa (small cage net) based hatchery so that fry can be collected at the yolk
sac or first feeding stages, no later than one week after the fry have been released
from the female. Fry must eat the feed containing the sex reversal hormone, not
natural food, the feed must be eaten readily by the fry therefore they have to be in
good condition.

The method for preparing sex reversal feed is as follows:

a) Mix 30-70 mg of hormone (methyl or ethynyl testosterone in 700 ml of 95 %
ethanol

b) Add 700 ml of hormone solution to each kg of finely ground feed

c) Mix thoroughly and dry

d) Add any supplements

e) Refrigerate (if the feed is not to be used immediately)

f) Feed at a rate of 10-30 % of body weight/day, at least 4 times a day for 21-28
days.

Intensification of Tilapia seed production

Although tilapias breed prolifically in unmanaged ponds, their low fecundity

means that fish farms need to invest in systems for fry and fingerling production.
The systems used are ponds, net enclosures (hapas) and tanks. Breeding systems
depend on the natural behaviour of the fish. Unlike catfish or carp, each female
produces relatively few eggs and it is not easy to strip eggs for artificial
fertilisation and incubation.

Breeding systems

a) Unmanaged ponds are the most widely used tilapia hatchery system. It requires
low input management but also results in low production; 1-2 fry/m2/month or 5
fry/female/month

b) Managed ponds generally have improved pond design and management. The
pond is built so that it can be fully drained from its deepest point. The farmer
carries out effective water quality management, manuring, fertilisation and
possibly supplementary feeding. Fish of 100-200g weight can be stocked at a rate
of 1-3 fish/m2 and at a sex ratio of 1 male:3 females for pure species or 1:1 for
hybrid production. They should produce 6-15 fry/m2/month or 35-100
fry/female/month. Production can be increased further by spawning a greater
number of larger fish in larger ponds, increasing the harvesting frequency and
using different methods for fry collection. If broodstock of 1-1.5 kg are used and
fry are harvested every 17-19 days, seed production can be increased to 45
fry/m2/month or 380 fry/female/month. It is also useful to collect the fry with hand
nets from along the edges of the pond on a daily basis to avoid disturbance of
spawners and damage to fry.

c) Net enclosures (hapas) are usually made of fine nylon, plastic mosquito netting
or cotton mesh. Hapas are very easy to manage; because fry cannot escape
harvesting is much easier. Hapas can be any manageable size from 1-40 m2 with a
depth of 1-2 m and suspended on poles. They can be simple squares or rectangles.
There are also more complex designs, some with a series of nets separating
broodstock from fry. A hapa can be routinely cleared of all fry by simply sliding a
pole under the net and by moving it across beneath the hapa. Two persons can
easily harvest a 40 m2 hapa. Usual broodstock densities are 2-7 fish/m2,
male:female sex ratio of 1:2 to 1:7. Production rates range from 150 fry/m2/month
or 50 fry/female/month to over 880 fry/m2/month or 300-400 fry/female/month.
The main ways to improve productivity are to clean nets and harvest fry regularly.
As with all fry production systems it may also be worthwhile to rest fish regularly
rather than trying to breed from them continuously.

d) Tank based hatcheries are easily managed but are relatively expensive to build.
A hatchery is usually subdivided into spawning units and fry ongrowing units.
Spawning units usually circular tanks of 1-6 m diameter containing 0.5-0.7 m of
water; no substrate is required. Broodfish between 100-200 g are usually stocked at
1-5m2 at a sex ratio of 1 male:2-7 females and fed a 30-40 % protein diet at a rate
of 1-2 % body weight/day. Fry production will be maximised if there is frequent
manual harvesting of seed by dip nets and inspection of females. Seed yields of up
to 400-3,000 fry/m2/month or 200-1,500 fry/female/month can be achieved if eggs
are collected every 5 days or eggs and fry are collected every 10-14 days, however
this requires that unhatched eggs and sac-fry are held in an artificial incubation
system until they are ready to feed. Incubation systems are designed to keep the
eggs in gentle motion; violent agitation will lead to mechanical damage of eggs.
Three main types of systems are used; an upwelling zuger jar, a downwelling
round-bottomed jar and shaking tables.

Tilapia rearing systems

Ponds

Many different types of ponds are used for tilapia culture. The most widespread,
but most unproductive are low input ponds with uncontrolled breeding and
irregular harvesting; yields are typically 500-2000 kg/ha/yr of uneven sized fish.
The next step up is manured ponds with uncontrolled breeding and regular
harvesting; yields are typically 3000-5000 kg/ha/yr of uneven sized fish. To
achieve higher yields requires much greater investment in terms of management
and stocking. If monosex fish are stocked, and regular manuring and
supplementary feeding is practiced yields can be up to 8000 kg/ha/yr of even sized
fish. Very high yields can be achieved by using monosex fish, complete feeds and
changing the water regularly. This can result in yields of 15,000 kg/ha/yr of even
sized fish. It is quite common for tilapia to be grown in polyculture ponds with
carps, catfish or freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium).
 The main advantage of ponds is that fish can be grown very cheaply through
fertilisation. There are several disadvantages: they are expensive to build; they take
up a large area; they can only be built in areas with suitable soils; they require a lot
of water to compensate for seepage and evapouration; unless mono-sex fish are
stocked, there will be a wide range of fish sizes at harvest; pond reared tilapia can
have a "muddy" taint; fish in ponds are very susceptible to theft and predation.

Cages

Cage culture of tilapia avoids problems with over breeding because eggs fall
through the cage meshes. The other main advantage is that the farmer does not
necessarily need to own the water body where the cages are placed. Two main
types are practiced. Small, low intensity cages are placed in a nutrient rich lake or
canal. The cages can be made of netting or are sometimes made from bamboo or
other locally available materials. The fish derive most of their nutrition from the
surrounding water, however they may also be fed supplementary feeds. Typical
stocking rates at harvest are 10 kg/m3 maximum.

Intensive cage culture of tilapia is becoming more common. Several very large
commercial projects have started recently in Africa and the Carribean. Fish are
stocked at higher rates and fed complete feeds. Stock rates at harvest are typically
around 25 kg/m3. The maximum density is limited by the availability of oxygen.

Cage culture typically requires much lower capital investment than pond or tank
culture. It also does not need a running or pumped water supply. The main
disadvantage is susceptibility to theft or malicious damage.

Intensive tanks

Intensive tank culture avoids problems with overbreeding because there is no space
for males to set up territories. It requires a constant supply of water, either gravity
fed or pumped. This makes tank culture difficult in areas without a very substantial
supply of running water or good power supplies for pumps. Water usage depends
on the management system but it can be considerably less than that for a similar
amount of production in ponds and uses a much smaller area. Usual maximum
stocking rates in tanks where the water is changed every 1-2 hours would around at
25-50 kg/m3. With aeration this could be raised to 70 kg/m3 and with oxygenation
this could be as high as 150kg/m3. The fish are fed complete feed; usually 30-35%
Crude Protein for fish over 50g average weight. Security is much easier with a tank
system because production is concentrated on a small site which can completely
fenced in.

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Raising Tilapia in Your Backyard

The Davao-based Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center Foundation gives these timely and
relevant tips on growing tilapia.
Tilapia is now widely distributed around the world. It has become the mainstay of many small-scale
aquaculture projects of poor fish farmers in the developing world. According to Dr. Rafael D. Guerrero
III, the executive director of the Laguna-based Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research
and Development (PCAMRD), tilapia is now cultured in more than 70 countries.
Fishery experts have dubbed tilapia as “aquatic chicken” because it possesses many positive
attributes that suit the fish for a varied range of aquaculture systems. For one, tilapia tolerates a wide
range of environmental conditions and is highly resistant to diseases and parasitic infections.
Other good traits of tilapia include excellent growth rates on a low-protein diet, ready breeding in
captivity and ease of handling; and, more importantly, wide acceptance as food fish.
Next to milkfish (more popularly known as “bangus”), tilapias are among the widely cultured species
in the Philippines. The culture of tilapia in freshwater ponds and cages has been a commercial
success:
Currently, there are an estimated 15,000 hectares of freshwater ponds and 500 hectares of cages in
lakes in lakes and reservoirs producing over 50,000 metric tons of tilapia.
Tilapia was first introduced into the country in the 1950s Today, there are four species raised in the
country: Oreochronlis niloticus, O. mossambicus, O. aureus, and Tilapia zillii.
Business opportunities
The Philippines now ranks fourth among the top ten largest tilapia producers in the world – after
China, Egypt and Thailand. Other top producing countries, according to the UN Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO), are Indonesia, Uganda Mexico, Tanzania, Kenya, and Sri Lanka.
Tilapia production grew by 5 percent during the last 14 years, noted the industry strategic plan for
tilapia. This served as a major determinant in the gross supply of tilapia in the country. Tilapia surplus
stood around 2,000 to 5,000 metric tons during the same period. At 2020, the surplus is expected to
reach around 10,000 metric tons.
Tilapia products – fresh and frozen fillets, whole and gutted fish – have become important
commodities in the international seafood trade. However, the Philippines cannot supply the
international market with frozen whole fish since our price is much higher than those coming from
Thailand and Taiwan.
Here are some tips from the llavao-based Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center (MBRLC) Foundation,
Inc.:

Site selection
Select a site where water is accessible throughout the year. It should be well exposed to sunlight,
which hastens the growth and multiplication of small aquatic plants called algae (“lumot”), which
serve as food for the tilapia. More important, it should not be flooded during rainy season.
Pond preparation
The size of the pond should be determined by the number of fish you want to raise. A good guide is
2-3 mature fish per square meter of water surface. The depth of the pond should be one meter with
water not less than three-fourths meter deep. Manage the water sc that it will not flow continuously
through the pond.
To insure that no fish will escape, fine-meshed bamboo or fence should screen ponds that have
waterways connecting them to canals or outside water. Both the inside and outside end of each
waterway should be screened. Use big bamboos for inlets and outlets for small ponds.

Pond fertilization
Since the pond is newly constructed, you have to apply fertilizer. Do this one week before stocking.
Apply chicken manure on the pond bottom with water depth of about 6 centimeters at the rate of one
kilo for every lo square meters.
Fertilize the pond once a month to insure good production of algae. You can either use commercial
fertilizer or organic matter like manure, compost, ipil-ipil leaves, etc. If you do not have organic
matter, apply every month one-half kilo of urea and one half kilo of 15-15-15 for even, 100 square
meters of water surface.
Securing fish fingerlings
Obtain your first supply of young tilapia from any reliable fishpond owner. One source of tilapia
fingerlings is the Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center (MBRLC) Foundation, Inc, in Kinuskusan,
Bansalan, Davao del Sur. If fingerlings are unavailable, you need about 20-30 pairs of good breeders
to start reproducing in your tilapia pond of 10 x 20 feet. If fingerlings are available, you will need to
plan on about 5 to 6 fingerlings per square meter of water surface area. The most common breeds of
tilapia available are: Nilotica, Mozambique, and GIF (genetically modified).
Stocking the pond
Before stocking the pond with tilapia, be sure to drain it thoroughly and remove the weeds and
unwanted fish that may be present. Allow your pond to dry up until it cracks before refilling with
fresh, clean water. Fertilize the pond one week before stocking.
Stock the pond either early in the morning or late in the afternoon when the water temperature is low
in order to avoid weakening of the fish. Allow the water in the pond to mix gradually with the water
in the fish container before putting the fish into the pond.
Care and maintenance
- Feed daily during morning and afternoon at one portion of the pond. Supplement feeds with fine
rice bran, bread crumbs, earthworms, termites, and others at an initial rate of 5% of the total body
weight of the fish.
- Maintain the natural fishfood by adding more fertilizer. Place chicken droppings in sacks and
suspend in the water at every corner of the pond. Put 2.5 kg of chicken manure per bag.
- Maintain a water level depth of 1-1.5 meters. Gradually remove excess fingerlings after the third
month of stocking. Retain six fingerlings per square meter. (As another source of income, you can sell
those excess fingerlings to other farmers in the area.)
- Plant “kangkong” and “gabi” at one portion to provide shade for the fish during hot weather and to
serve as growing media for natural fish food. Water lily also provides shade. However, do not totally
cover the pond with plants as this will interfere with the natural food production process.
- Prevent seepages and leakages by patching them with muds. Clear the pond dikes of weeds.
- Check the gates occasionally to prevent entry of other fish species and avoid loss of stock. If your
home lot is easily flooded, place stones around the top of dikes to prevent the escape of fish if the
water overflows.
- Find ways to keep the mudfish (“haluan”) out of your tilapia pond. The mudfish is a ferocious
predator of tilapia fingerlings and ever larger fish.
- Plant more trees within the sources of water to maintain the flow. Protect the riverbeds from toxic
waste water and pesticides and avoid dumping of garbage.
- Plant trees and grasses near the dike to avoid erosion.
Harvesting
You can harvest tilapia by using a dip net or a lift net. Lower the net down to the bottom of the pond
and spread a small amount of feed on the water just above the net. Lift the net as fast as possible to
prevent the escape of the tilapia. After harvesting, stock the pond again.
Integrated farming
Research at the MBRLC shows that you can make your fishpond more productive and profitable by
raising a pig at the site of the pond. Pig wastes go directly to the pond and help to fertilize the tiny
plants that serve as the tilapia’s main food. Tests have proven that tilapia cultured in this kind of
pond can be eaten without any harmful effect. Many farmers in Mindanao have already adopted this
technology in their own fishponds.
Uses of tilapia
Tilapia is a good quality food and has a firm and delicious flesh. Unlike milkfish (“bangus”), it has few
fine bones.
Tilapia is suitable also for processing into dried, salted dried, smoked or pickled products. It is a good
insect and worm predator and is known to help clean many injurious insects from ponds. To a certain
extent, tilapia can help in keeping down the number of mosquito larvae, thus preventing them from
developing into troublesome and harmful mosquitoes.

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Raising Tilapia - Growing Tilapia Fish Ponds for Food

Tilapia are a hardy, fast growing fish with a good (less fishy)
taste ideal for warm areas or indoor heated tanks. They are
somewhat boney and can be slightly difficult to clean.

The most important thing to know about Tilapia is that there are
many types, with wildly different characteristics. And even within
one type of Tilapia, the nutritional value of the fish will vary wildly
depending on what they were fed. For example, if they are fed
primarily corn they will contain more Omega 6 (harmful) than
Omega 3 (helpful) fatty acids^. Fish grown on flax based feeds
will be high in Omega 3s and low in Omega 6's.^ ^ Even for one
individual Tilapia, the ideal temperature and diet will vary over
the fish's lifetime.

Very complete information on care, feeding, treatment, and

diagnosis is available: Tilapia Health Diagnosis and Treatment
Advice

Environment

Temperature: Every breed of Tilapia is different, but most

Tilapia prefer temperatures of 77 to 86'F (25-30'C) and will not
thrive or grow at lower temperatures. Some may tolerate
temperatures as low as 47'F (8 or 9'C) for short periods
(overnight). In an area where the temperature, at least through
the growing season, is high enough to maintain water
temperature in the preffered range, they may be grown outside in
a pond. During very hot weather, ventilate or plant shade type
water plants. Over-winter a few smaller fish in an indoor
aquarium to serve as breeders next spring if the winter
temperature will be too low. In areas where pond water is too
cold, Tilapia will need to be grown in tanks, barrels, or above
ground pools which are insulated from the earth and heated or
enclosed in a green house or tent. See: Tilapia Aquaculture
Environment: Temperature

Space: The size of the pond should be determined by the

number of fish you want to raise. A good guide is 4 to 5 square
feet of water per mature fish or 2-3 mature fish per square meter
of water surface in a pond environment. In aquaculture or
aquaponics, a more crowded environment can help keep the
aggressive males from becoming territorial: No fewer than 3 fish
per 50 gallons, and up to 12 adult fish can be contained in a 55
gallon drum. The water depth in any environment should be more
than 3 feet or one meter; never less than 2.5 feet (three-fourths
meter) deep. The water should be still and not flowing so if a
stream or river is used, the pond should be separated from the
flowing water. Exposure to sunlight is very important both to
maintain temperature and to promote the growth of green food
such as algae. See: Site Selection and Engineering

Salinity: They grow well up to salinities of 16 to 20 parts per

thousand (sea water is 35 ppt). Salt can be added to discourage
pests and to create a warmer layer in a deep pond during the
winter. It can also help to control overpopulation: Fry numbers
decline substantially at 10 ppt salinity. See: Tilapia Aquaculture
Environment: Salinity

Water Quality: Tilapia are tolerant of more ammonia in

their water than most pond fish. No water filtration is typically
required in a pond; water hyacinth can remove enough
pollutants. In an aquaponics system, a bio-filter and regular
water changes of about 20% per week or 10% twice a week are
enough to maintain water quality in an established system.
Chlorine must be removed from the new water by adding either
commercial de-chlorination chemicals or 1000mg Vitamin C per
100 gallons water. If the water is treated with Chloramine^then a
special commercial chemical made to remove chloramine must be
used or the water must be left to stand at least 24 hours after de-
chlorination to allow the ammonia still present to dissipate. Unlike
many other fish, Tilapia can eat algae so green water is not a bad
sign; some manure and sunlight can provide additional "free"
food without damaging the fish. See:Tilapia Aquaculture
Environment, Water Quality

Stock

Breeders: If fingerlings are unavailable, you need about 20-

30 pairs of good breeders to start reproducing in breeding pond
of 10 x 20 feet. Stock 1:3 or 1:4 male to female. The bottom of
the breeding pond must consist of lime or compost, about 16%
Tilapia spawn every 7 to 8 weeks. Eggs hatch in 2 to 5 days and
the female guards the young for an additional 8 to 10 days.
Fingerlings: If fingerlings are available, you will need to
plan on about 5 to 6 fingerlings per square meter of water surface
area. The most common breeds of tilapia available are: Nilotica,
Mozambique, and GIF (genetically modified). Fingerlings need
large amounts of protein and will become canabilistic if
unsatisfied. Feedings of grub, bugs, flies, worms are helpful.

 In San Diego CA: http://www.mybackyardfishfarm.com Sells

fingerlings for a very reasonable price. Also sells basic
aquaponics systems for $149 and up. Basically a food grade
55 gallon drum, air pump, biofilter (with starter), and some
fingerlings.
 In Smithville, MO: http://www.tilapiasource.com

Preparation

Before stocking the pond with tilapia, be sure to drain it

thoroughly and remove the weeds and unwanted fish that may be
present. Allow your pond to dry up until it cracks before refilling
with fresh, clean water.

Fertilize the pond one week before stocking. Apply chicken

manure on the pond bottom with water depth of about 6
centimeters at the rate of one kilo for every lo square meters.
Fertilize the pond once a month to insure good production of
algae.

Stock the pond either early in the morning or late in the

afternoon when the water temperature is low in order to avoid
weakening of the fish. Allow the water in the pond to mix
gradually with the water in the fish container before putting the
fish into the pond. For more, see: Pond Preparation and
Management.

Care and Feeding

Maintain the natural blue green algae and Plankton by adding

more fertilizer. Place 5 lbs (2.5 kg) of chicken droppings in each
of several sacks and suspend in the water at every corner of the
pond. The sack slows the release, preventing excessive oxygen
depletion during decomposition. Supplement feeds with greens,
fine rice bran, bread crumbs, earthworms, termites, and others at
an initial rate of 5% of the total body weight of the fish. Avoid
feeding more than the fish will eat in one session.

Plant shade type water plants during hot weather, but do not
totally cover the pond with plants as this will interfere with the
natural food production process. Other good plants include
duckweed.

Overpopulation will slow the growth of the older fish; there are
many non-chemical methods of reducing "recruitment" (the
production of offspring) and some may even provide additional
benefits. Fry numbers decline substantially at 10 ppt salinity. One
method, which mimics nature, is the use of very low quantities of
predatory fish to "pick off" excess fingerlings and sick adults.
Possible predators include:

 snakehead (Channa striata)

 Lates niloticus

While the production and consumption of the fingerlings by the

predators does reduce the yield of the crop fish, the predators
may also be used as food fish or to feed other producing stock
such as Chickens.

Disease and Treatment: See: HAMES: Practical diagnosis and

advice

Harvest, Fillet, and Cooking

Harvesting is best done when the winter is near or some other

factor means that the fish are unlikely to survive or unlikely to
grow more. Fish can also be harvested whenever they are large
enough to be of use, or on an as needed basis. There are several
methods of quickly killing the fish, but chilling in an ice bath is
the least violent and takes very little time. Tilapia have very
strong scales and skin, so a very, very sharp knife is needed. A
protective metal or thick leather glove is a good idea. Since they
are covered in a protective "slime" they should be held down with
a towel. Using a knife or kitchen scissors, cut from the anus
toward the head to release the internal organs and scoop them
out into a waste container. Clean the knife and the fish in running
water, then start a cut at the tail, up along the top of the fish on
one side of the spine, and then back down just behind the gill and
under the front fin. Pry the side off while cutting along the ribs
with downward strokes to sure as much of the meat is removed
as possible. The carcass is ideal for soup stock with vegetables,
bay leave, and perhaps rice. The fillet can then be turned over,
and the skin separated by holding it with pliers and again making
downward strokes with the knife against the inside of the skin to
ensure as much meat is retained as possible.

Of course, there are many ways to cook tilapia, but a light

coating in flour, with some salt and pepper, sauted in olive oil for
just one minute on each side is easy, quick, and delicious. Do not
overcook! Served with a slice of lemon and tartar sauce or
capers.

Ideas

Most tropical fish, including Tilapia, grow best above 80'F. If they
need heat, and the water filter needs a UV stage, why not add an
open air solar water heater to do both? A shallow tray with black
backing over which the water is pumped may raise the
temperature even without a cover. In colder areas, a thin cover
of UV transparent plastic may be required. Most PMMA, Acrylic,
and other UV "resistant" materials will pass UV; they are resistant
because they do not absorb UV energy. A wind pump can be used
to move water through the panel, but a solar PV powered
electric pump makes more sense as it will automatically run when
the sun is out.

Tilapia can live in fresh or salt water... That might allow us to

raise the temp by makeing the pond a solar salt pond. In an
ordinary pond, the sun’s rays heat the water and the heated
water from within the pond rises and reaches the top but loses
the heat into the atmosphere. The net result is that the pond
water remains at the atmospheric temperature. The solar pond
restricts this tendency by dissolving salt in the bottom layer of
the pond making it too heavy to rise.

Another suggestion (thanks bbob) is just covering the pond with

a clear material (like plastic or glass) to retain heat. In a high
activity (read: kids) area, glass might be broken, but bbobs idea
of just floating bubble wrap on it is pure brilliance! And it will
keep a little air on the surface of the water under the plastic.
Studies 1 with some species of tilapia show that "monoculture"
(male only) ponds do not produce significantly higher yields than
"mixed" (male and female) ponds.

From The Perfect

Fish http://www.aquanet.com/features
/tilapia/perfectfish.htm

Since "everyone knows" that female

tilapia grow slower than male tilapia,
scientists came up with a method of
treating all of the tilapia fingerlings
with male hormones so those fish that
would have been female now turn out
to be male. Then all of the fish in the
growing tanks or ponds will be male, and the average growth rate
will be higher than it would have been with half males and half
females.

Now even the US government supports the use of reversal

techniques by allowing all of the tilapia hatcheries who wish it to
participate in what is known as an INAD. This basically means
they have the right to put chemicals into the food of the fish that
are not yet cleared as being safe, as long as they send results in
to the government.

Almost every tilapia grower now uses hormone-treated fingerling

tilapia. This basically reduces the time it takes to get the tilapia
through the growing stage and hopefully allows for slightly higher
profits from the sale of the fish since a farmer can grow more
each year.

The truth is, however, that the only tilapia that grow faster if they
are treated with methyl testosterone are the of the "pure line"
species. These are produced by breeding, say, males of tilapia
nilotica to female tilapia nilotica. If hybrids are produced using t.
nilotica and T. aurea or T. mozambique and T. hornorum, any
females that are produced will tend to grow as fast as the original
male tilapia in the pure line species.

Ocean Rich, Tilapia hatchery and farm in Thermal, California, ph

(760)397-7302, fax (760)397-6101

Scientific American article by C.F. Hickling, "The Cultivation of

Tilapia,"

Also:

 Hames Practical diagnosis and advice

 Site Selection and Engineering
 Pond Preparation and Management.

See also:

 http://www.tilapiasource.com In Smithville, MO "I got my

tilapia fingerlings from Tilapia Source. Sarah and Kellen
were both extremely helpful, shipped a great product
 (professional packaging) and have helped me a bunch since
they arrived.+"
 http://www.healthyplanetharvest.com/ Medium small
aquaponics systems for a few hundred dollars. Local to
North County San Diego. (Escondido, Vista)
 http://www.mybackyardfishfarm.com In San Diego, CA.
Very small aquaponics systems for $149 and up. Basically a
food grade 55 gallon drum, air pump, biofilter, and some
fingerlings. Also sells fingerlings for a very reasonable price.
 @spam@tilapiahybridpairSTOPspam at
spamyahoo.com refers to

http://www.tilapiahybridpair.com TILAPIA HYBRID PAIRS

FOR SALE! These Hybrid are a cross between Male Rocky
Moutain White,and Female O.mossombica (Mike Sipes
Strain). Male or Female 3 Fish Minimum 1" $10.00 ea. 1.5"
$12.00 ea. 2" $14.00 ea. 2.5" $16.00 ea. 3" $18.00 ea. 3.5"
$20.00 ea. 4" $22.00 ea. *Shipping included*
tilapiahybridpair.com tilapiahybridpair@yahoo.com Send
Check or money order to: Don Turner 3603 Cedarwood
Court Bettendorf, Iowa 52722 563.332.9444

 http://aquanic.org/beginer/tilapia/tilapia.htm
 http://www.tilapiaseed.com/ +
 http://www.cherrysnapper.com/ One mans story of trying to
develop the perfect fish
 http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/alt-ag/tilapia.htm
 http://www.ag.auburn.edu/dept/faa/icaaepub.html WATER
HARVESTING AND AQUACULTURE FOR RURAL
DEVELOPMENT SERIES:
 http://www.aquanet.com
 http://ag.arizona.edu/azaqua/ata.html American Tilapia Association
 http://www.ag.auburn.edu/dept/faa/tilap.html Introduction to
Tilapia culture
 http://www.agcom.purdue.edu/AgCom/Pubs/AS/AS-
494.html Tilapia fish overview data
 http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/aquanic/beginer/tilapia/tilapia.ht
m
 http://www.mbda.gov/Virtual_Centers/Aquaculture/introTila
pia.html Tilapia Farming - Virtual Business Center
 http://www.american.edu/ted/TILAPIA.HTM Tilapia and the
Environment
  http://library.kcc.hawaii.edu/praise/hames/ Tilapia expert system
computer program now available to farmers (winhames.zip)
 http://www.da.gov.ph/tips/tilapia/fishcage.html Tilapia Cage
Culture
 http://www.fishfarming.com/tilapia.html Tilapia Farming
 http://www.da.gov.ph/tips/tilapia/freshwater.html Tilapia
Freshwater Fishpond
o Site Selection and Engineering
o Management of Freshwater Fishpond
o Pond Care and Maintenance
o Harvesting and Marketing
 http://www.da.gov.ph/tips/tilapia/fingerlings.html Tilapia
Hatchery Management and Fingerling Production
 http://www.msstate.edu/dept/crec/twmr.html Tilapia Production
and Marketing
 http://ag.arizona.edu/azaqua/ista/recipes.htm Tilapia Recipes

Questions:

 where does it come from James Newton of

Massmind replies: If you mean "where can I find Tilapia live
fish" then it depends on your area. They can't be shipped
over long distances so you must find a local hatchery or
other source. In San
Diego http://www.mybackyardfishfarm.com is a GREAT
source! If you can make a trip to the Salton Sea in
California, and you are handy with a boat and a net, you can
bring some home for free in a bucket. Search your local
area, and if you find a good source, please consider posting
it here.+

 okay..hey...how much is a 200 gallon tank for tilapia?

James Newton replies: About $200+

Please read this...You have made lots of mistakes...U need to

reduce the stocking density of your fish very soon!
Higher stocking densities= lower growth= lower profits!
All-male tilapia cultures are often densely stocked. This will decrease the individual growth rate of each
fish, but it will normally result in a higher yield per unit area. Densely stocked cultures are more
susceptible to ill-health and careful water management is recommended, since poor health can have a
devastating effect on growth rate and lead to massive losses.
The normal stocking rate for all-male tilapia cultures varies from 4,000 to over 20,000 fishes per acre. If
you have no supplemental aeration, it is safest to stay in the lower range. In a suitable environment
with an adequate supply of nutrition, it is possible for 50 gram fingerlings to become 500 gram fishes
within 6 months even without supplemental aeration if the stocking rate is 4,000/acre. This means an
average growth rate of 2.5 grams per day and it is possible for such a culture to yield 2.2 tons/acre.

A stocking rate of 8,000/acre can yield up to 4.4 tons/acre, but will require night
time emergency aeration. You can expect the average weight gain to be 1.5-
2.0 grams/day. The culture period will need to be at least 200 days, often more, if you want to produce
fish that weighs almost 500 grams.
Stocking rates above 12,000/acre will require extensive aeration, but can on the other hand yield up to
6-10 tons/acre. Keeping the water quality up will be difficult and you might have to resort to sub-
optimal feeding rates and this will naturally affect the growth rate.

1 acre=4040m2 your pond is only 400m2....so U need to stock

each pond with 1000fingerlings only!!!!!

Ponds
Many different types of ponds are used for tilapia culture. The most widespread,
but most unproductive are low input ponds with uncontrolled breeding and
irregular harvesting; yields are typically 500-2000 kg/ha/yr of uneven sized fish.
The next step up is manured ponds with uncontrolled breeding and regular
harvesting; yields are typically 3000-5000 kg/ha/yr of uneven sized fish. To
achieve higher yields requires much greater investment in terms of management
and stocking. If monosex fish are stocked, and regular manuring and
supplementary feeding is practiced yields can be up to 8000 kg/ha/yr of even sized
fish. Very high yields can be achieved by using monosex fish, complete feeds and
changing the water regularly. This can result in yields of 15,000 kg/ha/yr of even
sized fish. It is quite common for tilapia to be grown in polyculture ponds with
carps, catfish or freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium).
The main advantage of ponds is that fish can be grown very cheaply through fertilisation.
There are several disadvantages: they are expensive to build; they take up a large area; they
can only be built in areas with suitable soils; they require a lot of water to compensate for
seepage and evapouration; unless mono-sex fish are stocked, there will be a wide range of
fish sizes at harvest; pond reared tilapia can have a "muddy" taint; fish in ponds are very
susceptible to theft and predation.
good link:http://www.pathfoot.demon.co.uk/tilapia.htm
There is no obvious anatomical stomach in tilapias. This
means that tilapia
cannot consume large amounts of food in a short time period,
as do carnivorous
species.
Tilapia should be fed 4-6 times per day...feeda can be reduced
to 4 times per day after 1 month.
The application of chicken litter and other organic fertilizers
to pond waters
stimulates the proliferation of phyto- and zooplankton species.
Nutrients released
to the water as dissolved N and P stimulate increased
phytoplankton growth. The
particulate matter in the organic fertilizer, suspended in the
water column, is
quickly colonized by aquatic microfauna (mostly bacteria and
protozoans) and
eventually consumed by the fish. The use of manures to
fertilize fishponds results
in increased production from the autotrophic and
heterotrophic aquatic food
chains.
while 3% feeding rate can be proper for tilapia between 80
and 115 g. Tilapia larger than 260 g
likely to be proficient at 1.2% body weight.
decimal =0.01 acre

About manure fertilization:

Pond fertilization
Since the pond is newly constructed, you have to apply fertilizer. Do this one week before stocking.
Apply chicken manure on the pond bottom with water depth of about 6 centimeters at the rate of one
kilo for every lo square meters.
Fertilize the pond once a month to insure good production of algae. You can either use commercial
fertilizer or organic matter like manure, compost, ipil-ipil leaves, etc. If you do not have organic
matter, apply every month one-half kilo of urea and one half kilo of 15-15-15 for even, 100 square
meters of water surface.
Maintain the natural blue green algae and Plankton by adding more
fertilizer. Place 5 lbs (2.5 kg) of chicken droppings in each of several
sacks and suspend in the water at every corner of the pond. The sack
slows the release, preventing excessive oxygen depletion during
decomposition.

Very good link with other

links.http://www.piclist.com/techref/other/pond/TilapiaRaising.htm

Unlike most other fish species, tilapia have the ability to consume minute phytoplankton that
they filter out of the water. For this reason, commercial pelleted feeds are not necessary for
growing tilapia and nutrient-enriched water (“green water”), produced by the addition of
animal manure or fertilizer, is sufficient to achieve a marketable fish of 300 to 500 grams in
six months.

It seems in ponds what is important is the surface area of the

pond.
- Feed daily during morning and afternoon at one portion of the pond. Supplement feeds with fine
rice bran, bread crumbs, earthworms, termites, and others at an initial rate of 5% of the total body
weight of the fish.
- Maintain the natural fishfood by adding more fertilizer. Place chicken droppings in sacks and
suspend in the water at every corner of the pond. Put 2.5 kg of chicken manure per bag.
- Maintain a water level depth of 1-1.5 meters. Gradually remove excess fingerlings after the third
month of stocking. Retain six fingerlings per square meter. (As another source of income, you can sell
those excess fingerlings to other farmers in the area.)
- Plant “kangkong” and “gabi” at one portion to provide shade for the fish during hot weather and to
serve as growing media for natural fish food. Water lily also provides shade. However, do not totally
cover the pond with plants as this will interfere with the natural food production process.
- Prevent seepages and leakages by patching them with muds. Clear the pond dikes of weeds.
- Check the gates occasionally to prevent entry of other fish species and avoid loss of stock. If your
home lot is easily flooded, place stones around the top of dikes to prevent the escape of fish if the
water overflows.
- Find ways to keep the mudfish (“haluan”) out of your tilapia pond. The mudfish is a ferocious
predator of tilapia fingerlings and ever larger fish.
- Plant more trees within the sources of water to maintain the flow. Protect the riverbeds from toxic
waste water and pesticides and avoid dumping of garbage.
- Plant trees and grasses near the dike to avoid erosion.

Quote:
There is no ideal pond size for growing tilapia and they vary from 1 to 100 rai (1 rai = 1,600
m2). Big ponds require less time in labour (fertilising, feeding, etc), but are more difficult to
harvest and take longer to prepare and fill with water. Surface aeration and water flow in
large ponds is generally better as the long fetch allows larger waves and currents to develop.
Small ponds are more costly to excavate (per unit area), but are of advantage if selling fish
directly to retailers, as a regular supply of fish in small amounts is required.

The main thing to think about is the amount of production required per month and one can
expect 600-800 kg per rai using fertilization only and up to a ton or more if feeds are used.

So 1 rai=1600m2 and for that they say max is 1000kg and

they say per month???? maybe their tilapia breeds in the
ponds????

In Thailand, tilapia ponds are mostly 5-20 rai in size (water

area) and would typically produce 4 to 16 tons of fish per
crop.
If U take a square pond 5 rai is 1600m2X5= 8000
m2=80x100m is the minimum size which is around 40 times
the size of your ponds if they are filled with water.
Note this:
An ideal depth of pond is between 1 to 2 meters. Ponds
deeper than this are not good because light, necessary for
phytoplankton growth, will not penetrate to the bottom. This
will lead to anaerobic conditions and poor water quality.
More fertiliser will also be required to maintain a green pond.
There is one exception to this rule and that concerns rain-fed
ponds where a large volume of water is required to prevent
the pond quickly drying out in the dry season. In this case it
may be necessary to increase water depth during the rainy
season to 3 meters or more. High fertilization will be
necessary at this time, but during the dry season nutrients will
tend to get concentrated, due the evaporating water, and so
little fertilization will be necessary.
POND PREPARATION

There are four important steps in pond preparation:

1) Eradicate all wild fish from the pond.

Eradication of any fish left from the previous culture cycle is

imperative in order to ensure optimum growth of the new
crop. The best way to do this is to dry the pond for 1-2
weeks. Not only will this kill any fish remaining, but it will
also have a beneficial effect on the pond bottom. Application
of a piscicide (such as rotenone, tea seed cake or cyanide) to
any water remaining may be necessary during the rainy
season when a pond cannot be dried.

2) Lime the pond bottom.

After draining the pond, it is advisable to treat the pond
bottom with lime. This is recommended practice in
aquaculture, as it will kill disease organisms and will buffer
fluctuations in pond water pH. 100 kg per rai is sufficient for
most ponds, although more lime may be required in acid soil
areas, particularly if the pond is new.

2) Fill the pond with filtered pond water.

After drying and liming the pond it can now be filled with
water. To do this, a filter bag, made from fine nylon netting,
should be secured over the pump discharge pipe to ensure that
no wild fish fry or eggs can get into the pond. This may not
be possible for large pumps due to the high pressure. In this
case, a hapa can be erected under the water inlet to catch any
unwanted organisms. Unwanted breeding (due female tilapia
getting into the pond) will be prevented if these procedures
are followed and your all-male tilapia should grow to their full
potential.

3) Add fertilizer to the pond to create green water.

Nam Sai Farm recommends the addition of 30 kg of 16-20-0

fertilizer per rai to the newly filled pond to create a
phytoplankton bloom. Animal manures can be used, but
chemical fertilizer will create better water quality, thus
ensuring higher survival of the newly stocked fish. A week is
normally sufficient for the water to turn green, after which
time fish can be stocked.
FRY RELEASE

There are two main considerations concerning releasing fish:

1) Avoid stocking fry when oxygen levels are low in the
pond. This will be in the early morning at first light. Use of
aeration is an advantage to elevate oxygen levels to give the
fry the best chance of survival.

2) Care should be taken when stocking your fish that the

water temperature in the bags is not very different to that in
the pond. If it is, then the fish will suffer shock on contact
with the water. The recommended way is to float the bags in
the pond for a period of 15 minutes prior to stocking, so that
temperature in and outside the bags can equilibrate. Release
the fish by pulling the neck of the bag to snap off the elastic
band, then hold the bag upside down and discharge the whole
of the contents into the pond.
STOCKING DENSITY

Stocking density depends entirely on the size and expected

yield of fish (determined by method of culture) at harvest.
For example, if a farmer has a 10 rai pond and intends to use
fertilization and a little supplemental feeding using cheap
feedstuffs, he could expect 800 kg of fish per rai (1,600 m2).
If the farmer intends to stock 2” fish and requires a target
weight of 500g per fish, then he can calculate the number of
fish to stock from the following equation:

No. of fish to stock = ( (Y x A) / (S / 1,000) ) x M

Where: Y = Yield per rai expected (kg)

A = Area of pond (water only, rai)
S = Size of fish required (g)
M = Mortality coefficient = (100 / estimated survival). The
following estimated values could be used:
 Mortality coefficient
Size of fish
Nile tilapia Red tilapia
1" or 0.2g 1.67 1.92
2" or 2 g 1.39 1.52
3" or 10g 1.27 1.32

In the case above = ( (800 x 10) / (500 / 1,000) ) x 1.39 =

(8,000 / 0.5) x 1.39 = 22,240 fish

Nam Sai recommends a grow-out period of no more than 7

months, as production decreases dramatically after a period of
6 months. At a stocking density of 2-3 fish per square meter,
market-sized fish (300 – 400g) can be attained in six months
using fertilization (addition of manure, fertilizer, etc) only. At
stocking densities in excess of this, supplementary feeding
will be necessary to get the fish to size within the
recommended grow-out period. If large sized fish are
required, then reduce the stocking density appropriately.

Ultimately, the stocking density and method of culture used

will depend on economics. As stocking density increases,
more investment is required in feed, and production cost will
increase. As a general rule, 3,000 x 1 inch fish (0.2g) or 1,600
x 4 inch fish (30g) per rai is an ideal stocking density for
fertilized and/or supplemental fed tilapia ponds in most of
Thailand. Higher stocking density and investment in aeration
would be an advantage in areas where tilapia prices are high
(fish sales price should be at least double the cost of good
quality commercial pellet per kg). Red tilapia, for example,
fetch a high market price and can be raised at 2-3 fish per m2
to 700g using commercial pellet to attain 2-3 tons per rai. This
is not to say it is the most profitable way to do it, as F.C.R.
will be higher (more feed required per kg of tilapia produced)
and there will be costs associated with aeration and water
exchange. A farmer who produces 2 tons of tilapia per rai
and makes 5 baht per kg profit will be no better off than a
farmer who produces 1 ton of tilapia per rai and makes 10
baht/kg profit.
Just remember they are talking about a rai and one rai= 4 of
your ponds.

The following table can be used as a guide to determining

stocking density:

Yield Number of fish stocked per rai

Rearing technique
(kg/rai) 1" 2" 3" 4"
Fertilization only 600-800 3,200 2,700 2,400 2,250
Fertilization only 600-800 2,400 2,000 1,800 1,700
Fertilization, supplemental cheap feed 800-1,200 4,600 3,800 3,400 3,200
Fertilization, supplemental cheap feed 800-1,200 3,400 2,850 2,600 2,450
Complete feed, no aeration, low density 1,000 2,550 2,150 1,900 1,800
Complete feed, aeration, high density 2,000 5,100 4,300 3,850 3,650

POND FERTILISATION

This section is aimed mainly at farmers who aim to grow

tilapia using “green water” using very little, if any,
feed. Green water is a phytoplankton bloom that provides
food, removes ammonia and produces oxygen for the fish.
The greener the pond, the more natural food will be available
and the fish will grow fast with very little or no supplemental
feeding. However, if a pond is too green, then fish mortality
can result due to low early morning oxygen.

In order to create a plankton bloom, it is necessary to add

nitrogen and phosphorous (N & P), the two limiting nutrients
to plant growth in water. Recommended levels are 1-2 kg of
phosphorous and 4 kg of nitrogen per hectare (10,000 m2 or
6.25 rai) per day. The N & P can come from many sources,
including chemical fertilizer, animal manure, “ami”
(monosodium glutamate factory waste), compost, etc.
Chemical fertilizer is more expensive, but water quality will
be much better and this allows stocking of low-oxygen
sensitive aquatic species, such as shrimp, prawns and carps.

Fertilization should be carried out at weekly or more frequent

intervals. The amount of fertilizer needed should be
determined by water color. If the pond is not very green then
increase the amount of fertilizer. If the pond is too green, fish
are gasping for air during the morning and fish begin to die,
then reduce or stop fertilizing.

Generally, there will be an increase in fertilizer requirements

throughout the growth period. Less fertilizer will be required
in the case that commercial feeds are used, as they also
contain N & P. The following table can be used as a guideline
for nutrient requirements:

Type of input Amount required (kg/rai/week)

16-20-0 chemical fertilizer 30

46-0-0 (urea) + 0-46-0 (phosphate) 9 + 11
Fresh chicken manure 300
 Fresh chicken manure + 46-0-0 (urea) 175 + 4
Fresh pig manure 800
Cow/buffalo manure 1,000 +
Ami 200 l/rai

Chemical fertilizer should be applied weekly (or more

frequently if possible) by dissolving it in water and then
broadcasting the solution over the surface of the pond. There
are no strict guidelines for the application of animal manure.
Most farmers either use general broadcast or they apply the
manure to a few selected spots located around the edge of the
pond. Frequent manuring in small amounts is advisable, but
one time per week will suffice.
FEEDS & FEEDING

The relationship between feeding and stocking density was

mentioned earlier. Production costs will increase with
increasing stocking density. Feed will only be required once
the pond biomass rises to 600-800 kg of fish per rai.
However, feed can be used from day 1 to increase growth rate
and so reduce culture period. For example, red tilapia will
attain a size of 700g in 4 months in ponds when fed a
complete diet of commercial pellet. The same fish could be
raised to 700g in 6 months using much less and/or cheaper
feed, and so reduce investment costs. One has to decide
whether the increased feed costs would be worth the quick
grow-out period. Other factors, such as land, water and pond
excavation prices, should also be considered. If land rental is
very expensive for example, then higher density fed systems
will be more economic.
Once a decision has been made to feed the fish, one should
then decide what type of feed to use. This will be determined
by availability and price of feedstuffs to a large extent, but the
factors mentioned previously are also important. For
example, if the price of tilapia is very low, then it will not be
economic to feed large amounts of relatively expensive
commercial pellet. Only cheap feed inputs will be cost
effective in such a situation. Such feeds might include:

Waste food from hospitals and schools

Rice bran & broken rice - if available very cheaply
Bread, wafer, yeast and other edible factory wastes
Waste animal feeds

The types of supplemental feeds being used by farmers are too

numerous to mention and Nam Sai advises that farmers test
out any new feed inputs before using them extensively.
Things one should consider are:

1) Will the fish eat them?

2) Are the increased returns cost effective in terms
of added costs and labor?
3) Are they are safe from micro-organism toxins?

In situations where the price of tilapia is twice as high as the

cost of good quality commercial pellet, then cage culture and
use of commercial feeds in ponds becomes economic. The
advantage of using such feeds is that fish growth is quicker,
they are clean and don’t produce foul odor, water quality will
be better and they are easily available. Floating pellets are
best, as they allow the farmer to see the feed being eaten and
so reduce waste. Sinking pellets can also be used. They are
generally cheaper to produce and can be made from all sorts
of feedstuffs using a simple meat grinder. Monitoring feed
eaten is difficult, though, and wastage is higher. They are not
recommended for cage culture, as sinking feeds would be lost
through the bottom of the cage.

There are many types of floating commercial pellet available,

but they generally only differ in crude protein level and pellet
size. Price increases with increasing level of protein, but less
high protein feed will be required for a certain number of fish
(higher protein = lower food conversion ratio or F.C.R.) and
growth rate will be faster. Protein levels under 20% are not
recommended for tilapia, as they don’t find the pellet very
appetizing. 30% crude protein for final grow-out may be the
most cost-effective feed and a little higher for small fish.
NURSERY

Small, one-inch fry are very susceptible to predation by fish

and birds. They are also less tolerant to poor water quality, as
is often found in large manured grow-out ponds. Results are,
therefore, a bit “hit and miss” and will depend on survival
during the crucial first month. Purchasing fingerlings or
nursing the fry to a large size prior to stocking can alleviate
this problem. Stocking a larger fish also reduces culture
period in the main grow-out ponds and so increases farm
production.

Nursing is best carried out in hapas or in small earthen ponds.

Hapas are very useful for nursery, as the young fry can be
protected from predation by birds, mammals, snakes, and
carnivorous fish very easily. No special pond is required, as a
canal or a pond being used for other uses will suffice. The
fish can be harvested very simply, using a length of bamboo
to confine the fish in the corner of the hapa. Protection of fry
stocked directly in nursery ponds is more problematic, but
growth is much faster. Harvesting fingerlings is also more
difficult, as a fine seine net is required and the pond must be
drained to catch all the fish.

Whether nursery is carried out in a hapa or in a small pond,

“green water” should be first created using chemical
fertilizer. Animal manure is not recommended for nursery
ponds as it leads to poor water quality and could affect
survival. Stocking density in hapas is recommended at 500
one inch fish/m2 for the first month and 250 fish/m2 for the
second month. Earthen ponds can be stocked with anything
from 15-60 fish/m2 for a 2 month nursery period, but aeration
and some water exchange will be necessary at high densities.
Feeding should be carried out two to four times per day with
floating commercial pellet (smallest pellet size) or a powdered
feed, for example rice bran & fish meal with a crude protein
level of at least 30%. Pond-nursed fish will have achieved a
size of 10-50g in this time, whilst hapa-nursed fish will be 2-
10g. Fish nursed in hapas will only grow at the same rate as
fish in ponds if they are stocked at the same density per m2,
but the large numbers of hapas required will make it very
expensive.
This is the link to this
PDF:|http://www.google.co.zm/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&
source=web&cd=10&cad=rja&ved=0CIABEBYwCQ&url=ht
tp%3A%2F%2Fwww.tilapiathai.com%2Fassets%2FManual%
2520English.doc&ei=D7K7UPTZKonOhAfVi4DQAw&usg=
AFQjCNF2rftyArG6cUhNvthT1Ooz7b30cA

Read also this. Some important info for U:

http://pdacrsp.oregonstate.edu/pubs/fertguide_PDF/chapt
er_5_of_fert_guide.pdf
Extracts from this:
A second pre-filling activity is to add a layer of manure to
the
pond bottom and cover it with water to a depth of about
10 to 20 cm.
As noted above, this organic layer will reduce the rate of P
adsorption
by pond sediments. Although using TSP to fill P
adsorption sites may
be more effective both ecologically and economically, the
layer of73
Pond Characteristics that Affect Fertilization Decisions
organics helps create a physical separation of pond water
from
inorganic sediments below (Knud-Hansen, 1992). Using
only a
thin layer of water to cover pond sediments allows for
greater
atmospheric oxygen diffusion to help decompose the
organic
matter—both the added manure and the settled organic
matter
accumulated from the previous culture period. Algae,
utilizing
soluble nutrients from decomposing organic matter, also
contribute DO through photosynthesis. Most of the oxygen
demand for decomposition occurs within the first four to
five
days, and ponds can then be filled without reasonable
fears of
pondwater deoxygenationAdditional benefits from
conducting a pre-filling manure
treatment result from the nighttime anoxic conditions
likely to occur
during the first couple days. This layer of anoxic water
can kill snails,
bivalves, and other unwanted molluscs which would
otherwise
remove CaCO3
from the water for shell development, hence reducing
both alkalinity and DIC availability. Better still, the
relatively lower
pH and higher CO2
concentrations typical of these anoxic waters help
dissolve existing shells in the sediments, increasing the
pond’s
alkalinity and DIC pool.
When the pond is filled, source water should be added
during
the daytime after the water covering the pond bottom has
had time to
re-oxygenate through algal photosynthesis. The mixing of
this highly
productive, nutrient-rich bottom water with incoming
source water
enables the pond to produce natural foods more rapidly
than similar
ponds not receiving the pre-filling manure treatment. And
finally, a
layer of manure can improve water conservation by
reducing pond
water seepage (Teichert-Coddington et al., 1989).
The third pre-filling activity is to add agricultural
limestone
(CaCO3
) to the sediments—liming the pond. Liming benefits the
pond
in two ways. First, it increases alkalinity (or buffering
capacity) in
the water. Increasing buffering capacity is especially
important in
ponds built on acid sulfate soils, common in some tropical
coastal
areas. Negating soil acidity keeps pond water pHs within
acceptable ranges for algae, zooplankton, and culture
organisms
(Boyd, 1990; Boyd and Daniels, 1993). Second, liming
increases thhe
DIC pool by adding carbonates to the water, which can
increase
algal productivities in rain-fed ponds and other ponds
with low
alkalinities or DIC availabilities.
Fertilization Goals
The goal of pond fertilization can be viewed simply as
maximizing the causal link between fertilizer inputs and
ultimate
yields of culture organisms at harvest, while minimizing
economic
and environmental costs. This general goal encompasses
the four
specific objectives in fertilization theory, namely:
1) To increase natural food production by stimulating
algal
productivity;
2) To optimize nutrient utilization efficiency;
3) To optimize cost efficiency; and
4) To maintain a favorable growth environment for
culture
species

another good publications:

Protect the shoreline
The shoreline is the interface between
terrestrial inputs and in-pond
processes, and its protection is a
major component of pond protection.
Protection of the shoreline from erosion is needed to
reduce the suspended particles and nutrients from
entering the water column.
Establishing riparian buffer strips of
vegetation along the shoreline to
replace mowed lawn (currently the
predominant riparian land use in
Chester County) may be the most
important strategy to improve pond
water quality. A riparian buffer zone of natural meadow,
shrubs or trees improves sediment and
nutrient retention, enhances wildlife habitat and
discourages Canada geese. The property manager at a
farm in East Bradford Township recently replaced two
acres of mowed grass with wildflowers. The initial cost of
$1,400 for seeding was recouped within approximately one
year by reduced
mowing expenses, and the profusion of wildflowers
enhanced the setting.

S.J. Hasan
et al.
(1976) who achieved the best production from higher
stocking densities when compared
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