Tilapia Farming Guide



Thinking of starting a Tilapia Farm? If you have decide to engage in

Tilapia Farming, then there are some


important things that should be considered first.



Location


It is the first thing that you should think about you want to start a

Tilapia farm. This decision will influence the



profits and losses that you will be facing in the business of Tilapia

farming. Factors like temperature, climate,



access to water and laws of a country are influenced by the location you choose for Tilapia farming. In some


countries you even need to take permission from the government

before starting the farm. Along with location you must determine

how many farms you want in your area.



Temperature of water


You may face a problem regarding the temperature as Tilapias fish

are seasonal. These fish can survive and



breed only in warmer water. The ideal water temperature for a

Tilapia farm is 82 - 86 degrees. Fish will start


dying below 55 degrees and you will see a drop in growth rate.

Temperature below this can have a bad



impact on the breeding of Tilapia fish and it could cause your

farming business to collapse. If you own a small



farm then you can overcome this temperature problem by making

use of a water heater. By using a water heater you can heat the

water to the required temperature.






Managing the breeding



Breeding can be a problem for you. You need to think how you will

manage the breeding. Actually Tilapia fish



start breeding three months before being big enough to eat. They

have an extremely high breeding rate. An



adult Tilapia female fish can produce up to 100 fry per week.Many breeders manage the breeding by making


use of hormones to breed male Tilapia fish. This may be expensive

for small scale farmers but they can also



use other methods. One such method is building a breeding cage and

keeping them overstocked with fish thereby reducing the breeding

rate.



These are the main factors that you need to think of when starting a Tilapia farm.
things that should be considered first.


Location


It is the first thing that you should think about you want to start a

Tilapia farm. This decision will influence the



profits and losses that you will be facing in the business of Tilapia

farming. Factors like temperature, climate,



access to water and laws of a country are influenced by the location

you choose for Tilapia farming. In some



countries you even need to take permission from the government

before starting the farm. Along with location


you must determine how many farms you want in your area



Temperature of water


You may face a problem regarding the temperature as Tilapias fish

are seasonal. These fish can survive and



breed only in warmer water. The ideal water temperature for a

Tilapia farm is 82 - 86 degrees. Fish will start



dying below 55 degrees and you will see a drop in growth rate.

Temperature below this can have a bad



impact on the breeding of Tilapia fish and it could cause your

farming business to collapse. If you own a small



farm then you can overcome this temperature problem by making

use of a water heater. By using a water



heater you can heat the water to the required temperature.


Managing the breeding


Breeding can be a problem for you. You need to think how you will

manage the breeding. Actually Tilapia fish



start breeding three months before being big enough to eat. They

have an extremely high breeding rate. An



adult Tilapia female fish can produce up to 100 fry per week.Many

breeders manage the breeding by making



use of hormones to breed male Tilapia fish. This may be expensive

for small scale farmers but they can also



use other methods. One such method is building a breeding cage and

keeping them overstocked with fish



thereby reducing the breeding rate.


These are the main factors that you need to think of when starting a

Tilapia farm.

The Global Tilapia Market and How Tilapia Farms are Gaining in Numbers

Tilapia Farming which originated in the Middle East and Africa has

now become the most profitable business



in most countries. Tilapia has become the second most popular seafood after crab due to which Tilapia


farming is flourishing. It has entered the list of best selling species like shrimp and salmon.




The largest producers of Tilapia are China. Other countries, namely Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines and


Taiwan also supply maximum Tilapia in the global Tilapia market. There are many others countries like India


and Iran that are contributing to the international Tilapia market.


The demand for Tilapia is increasing by leaps and bounds and farming Tilapia is one of the easier aquaculture


industries to break into as Tilapia are very hardy fish. However, it is influenced by many factors like the


temperature, pH and the surroundings. Tilapia farming also needs to be done with care to protect the fish from


various diseases that they tend to suffer from. In 2005 and 2006 the global Tilapia market saw a fall in the


supply of Tilapia fish due to fish disease.


Tilapia Farming produces lots of Tilapia that are used for two purposes. The two purposes are domestic


consumption and trading in the global Tilapia market. Only 10 percent is traded in the world Tilapia market


and the rest is used for domestic consumption. It is seen that the largest buyer of Tilapia is the United States.


Tilapia is the fifth most famous seafood in the United States. The natives of United States prefer frozen fillets


as compared to fresh fillets. Fresh fillets are more expensive than frozen filets. The cost of fresh fillet is around


$5 per pound whereas frozen fillets costs only $2 per pound. The cost of increases when it


reaches the global fish market.


It is estimated that the rate of farming Tilapia has already reached over 5 million tons and will grow to 6 or


more in the near future. It is also expected that it will soon replace salmon and crabs that are the leading sea


food universally.


If you are thinking of farming Tilapia, then go ahead and jump in. The global Tilapia market is waiting for your


Tilapia fishes.

Different Types of Tilapia Farms

Want to know about the different types of Tilapia farming? Tilapia which is the most famous fish to be found

in Africa is said to be the most wanted for fish culture. It is seen that Tilapia fishes have high a breeding rate

which makes them suitable for business. There are many ways in which Tilapia can be farmed. The ways vary

from region to region. But among them the three methods that are most famous are cage culture, tank culture

and pond culture.
Cage culture


It is one of the traditional ways of Tilapia farming that are still used. This method has several advantages.  It is

generally practiced at places where draining and seining is impossible or difficult. Cage culture is used for

carrying out farming Tilapia in rivers and large lakes. The cage has a net so that the water can move freely.

Use of large bodies of water is generally preferred in cage culture. It is advised to place the cages where the

water current is more. Placing cages in stagnant water is not recommended. You can make use of both a

standing as well as floating cage.




Tank culture


Tank culture is commonly used in areas where the land or water is scarce. The pH, temperature and oxygen


content can be controlled easily in the tank used for tank culture. Harvesting and feeding requires less


laborious work. It is recommended that the temperature should not fall below 13 degrees. It is seen that cold


water can lead to the ill health of the Tilapia fishes. The temperature should be maintained between 28 - 30


degrees.




Pond culture



It is the most common way of farming Tilapia. The advantage offered by this type of Tilapia farming is that the


work of feeding is reduced.  It closely resembles the natural feeding habits of Tilapia which feed on naturally


available food like weeds, etc. But it is advised that you be very careful while choosing the species for pond


culture.



This was all about the various types of farming Tilapia.

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