Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I have a question for any one that has experience with raising and breeding tilapia. I have just recently purchased a few mozambique tilapia. All of the ones I received were about exactly an inch in length. I have noticed over a three week period that some are getting to be twice the length as some of the others and I was wondering if this is a possible indication that they could be male seeing as how male tilapia are larger than female. I know that males grow faster when females start holding eggs in their mouths, but do the females generally grow slower even at this early stage.

Yeah, females will grow slower, however so will the less dominant males.

The only sure fire way to sex them at that size is to vent them, however at 1 inch long venting can be difficult to the untrained eye...
However, being Tilapia, give it about 3 more months and you will be able to sex the females easy, they will be the ones with mouthfulls!

Andrew

Here in PH, tilapia fingerlings are known to have extremely different growth rates, even within the same hatching/batch. It is also known that if you segregate by size, the smaller tilapia can catch up with their bigger siblings. In fact, pond tilapia fingerling hatcheries segregate up to 10 different sizes (and not by age).

What exactly is "venting"? Just curious, never heard of that term. I do have some just over 2" and some still at a fat 1".

ok, nevermind. Looked it up and I am familiar just didn't know what it was called. I believe I read that you can do that at about four inches.

I know people that do it at 1 inch and are very accurate, however like I said, it is very difficult.

I think it will be more of a hurry up and wait thing

oh wow! one inch, amazing. That to me would be a bit of a challenge and I would rather wait and let them get bigger because I'm afraid I'd harm them trying to held them like that. You know they are wiggly and jumpy!!