Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I've been interested in growing tilapia for a while now, but I need to know more about breeding before I purchase some fingerlings. I plan to get 100- 200 fingerlings from Valmeyer FFA or Miami Aquaculture later this spring (Hopefully March or April). I would like to breed for the next year to get about 100 male fish or so. How many breeders would I have to keep to produce this number? (I'm guessing about 4 to 6 would be enough, but I'm not sure.) When I finally get to breeding how many females do I put in per male? I think that 1 male to 2 females is sufficient but I am not sure on that either.

Have a read of this little-froggi... originally posted by Michael Ferrini in the "Talapia" thread.

http://www.cherrysnapper.com/downloads/ ... %20HOME%22


Lots of hands on information in threads by Michael, Janet and Ems

One mature female should be more than enough to produce what you want. However, you need to get a -willing- female. Maybe stock 3 females and 1 male.

I learn best by doing. Get some tilapia fingerlings, watch them feed, grow and interact. Try to figure out the difference between males and females. Put a pair or more in an aquarium (They need to be at least 2 or 3" long before they are ready to breed.) Make sure the tank is at least 80F. Provide some hides for the male and female (flower pot, pipe, etc). Watch for overly agressive males and clip their top lip if necessary. Watch when the female gets "tight-lipped" and stops eating. And then be ready to start feeding three times a day when the fry emerge.
The females can crank out a batch every two or three weeks. And one female can produce 100 to 500 eggs each time.... Once you get the hang of it, you'll have more Tilapia than you know what do do with.


Don't be afraid to lose some fish. Take the risk of making huge mistakes. Once you have some experience, the hatchery manual and other books will be much more meaningful.

Do you reckon I could just wait for my mixed tank (2900L) with 50 females and about 30 males to get down and "do it" or should I provide them with some hides?

Wow, just downloaded the Hatchery Manual. Fantastic. Should keep me busy for a while.

Provide some hides. Even if the fish don't need them to breed, the resulting fry will appreciate somewhere to hide. If you don't get any action fairly soon, try building a hapas as described in the hatchery manual or else place a few in an aquarium. I like using an aquarium because they are easier to observe.

Voyeur!

Where do you get the hatchery manual? Is it a free download?

Not anymore it seems.. You get it free with your first purchase from ilovetilapia..

I think this is it?

http://files.meetup.com/2330401/HatcheryManual%20.pdf

Thanks!

It has been a while for this thread, but the link up top is broken. Does anybody have a copy of the hatchery manual?

Here ya go

http://www.ufgop.org/pdf/tilapia-hatchery-manual/

I have tried to download the tilapia hatchery manual several times and am unable to do it.Has anyone don this lately?Or can anyone forward the manual?
Thanks,
Mark

Nope directed me to the Priceline.com app