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 startdying 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.
You can find more information and fish cages farm images at
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