Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Finally had my first tilapia breed some fingerlings - just in time too as the temps are starting to drop into the 60s (f) I brought her inside into one of the kids aquariums so she could be alone and I could monitor more closely, but I have noticed she constantly spits out and sucks up the fingerlings multiple times a day... I saw on one overseas fish farm video that they constantly dunk the mother over and over to force her to spit out all of the fingerlings before separating them - thought it was cruel atm but seeing how she still doesn't want to eat it makes me somewhat concerned that her over paranoia isn't that necessary

I assume if I just leave her alone she will eventually quit picking them back up but wouldn't they all grow faster if I separated her from the frys? (they are barely the size of a grain of rice atm)

There is a very high chance that she will eat them very soon. Time to take Momma away if you want the fry.

*gasp* the thought did cross my mind - she sucks them back up with vigor made me wonder how she could hold so many in her mouth and still not swallow others - even if accidentally >_<

Hi. Tilapia is a maternal mouthbrooder. The female incubates the fertilized eggs in its buccal cavity until they hatch. Thereafter, the female protects its young by retrieving them into its mouth at the first sign of danger. After several days or so, the free swimming fry are weaned and left on their own. The mother will not eat its own young, but others will, especially the young juveniles. Tilapia fry can be removed from their parents as soon as they are free swimming and fed with finely powdered food and brine shrimp.

muffettsman how did the first batch of fry turn out? I have hundreds in my two 1000ltr ibc tanks. I only have about 20 adults so no one is eating them yet.

tks

MM

Well, they are really known to be like that with their usual method of incubating through the mouth. I am not sure though if it applies to all as yours could just be in a way putting them in her mouth.

I reckon that you should think of taking her away if you would want the fingerlings more. You might also want to consider putting them separately first.