Tilapia Aquaculture

Major Reference

El-Sayed, AFM. 2006. Tilapia Culture. CABI

Publishing, Cambridge, MA. 277 pps.

Tilapia Aquaculture

Known as “Aquatic Chicken” for growth rates.

Later 20th Century Common Introduced Species

in Tropical, Subtropical & Temperate Regions

Introductions Because: Farming as Food Fish,

Recreation, Aquatic Weed Control, Research

Tilapia Aquaculture

Grow Well in Brackish or Salty Water

Some Species Grow in Hypersaline Water

Need Oxygen Density of 4 ppm or greater

Common Culture System - Earthen Ponds

Advantages with Monosex Culture

Co-Culture: Carp, Grey Mullet – Rice Fields

Production Optimized with Seed Fry

Tilapia Advantages for Aquaculture

Fast Growth

Environmentally Tolerant

Disease & Stress Resistant

Reproduces in Captivity

Short Generation Time

Feeds at Lower Trophic Levels

Starts Feeding Early - Few Losses

Aquaculture Production Levels

2002 Silver Carp Production ~ 4,071,608 mt

2002 Grass Carp Production ~ 3,572,825 mt

2002 Common Carp Production ~ 3,202,561 mt

2002 Bighead Carp production ~ 1,722,832 mt

2002 Crucian Carp Production ~ 1,702,778 mt

2002 Atlantic Salmon Prod’n ~ 1,084,740 mt

Tilapia Production 2002 ~ 1,217,055 mt

Tilapia Production 2010 ~ 3,200,000 mt

Tilapia Production 2011 ~ 3,700,000 mt

Tilapia Production China 2011 ~ 1,150,000 mt

Main Aquacultured Species of Tilapia

Oreochromis niloticus - Nile Tilapia

Production 2002 ~ 1,217,055 mt

Oreochromis mossambicus - Mozambique Tilapia

Production 2002 ~ 54,146 mt

Oreochromis andersonii - 3 Spotted Tilapia

Production 2002 ~ 2,700 mt

Oreochromis aureus - Blue Tilapia

Production 2002 ~ 1,350 mt

Major Producers of Tilapia 2002

China 706,600 mt 50%

Egypt, 167,700 mt 12%

Philippines 122,400 mt 9%

Indonesia 109,800 mt 8%

Thailand 100,600 mt 7%

Taiwan, 85,100 mt 6%

Brazil 42,300 mt 3%

Laos 26,900 mt 2%

Colombia 24,200 mt 2%

Malaysia 20,800 mt 1%

Advantages of Monosex Tilapia Culture

Superior Growth Rates

Tolerance Environmental Fluctuations

Greater Uniformity of Size at Harvest

Better Flesh Quality & Appearance

Resistance to Stress & Diseases

Higher Energy Conservation

Feed Utilization Efficiency

Reduced Aggressiveness

Production of Monosex Tilapia

Manual Sorting

Hormonal Sex Reversal – in Feed or Water

Interspecific Hybridization – 2 Species

Andro- & Gyno-genesis – Denatured DNA

Triploidy – Prevent Egg’s 2nd Meiotic Division

with Heat, Cold, Drugs or Pressure Shock

Transgenesis – Gene Transfer Technology

Nile Tilapia

Oreochromis niloticus

Mozambique Tilapia

Oreochromis mossambicus

Blue or Israeli Tilapia

Oreochromis aureus

Tilapia Taxonomy

All in the African Family Cichlidae (Cichlids)

with 220 Genera & 1,300 described species.

Systematics Confusing & Subject to Modification

Molecular Data Will Drive Generic Revisions

Found in S. America, Africa, Madagascar, India

Distribution Explained by Gondwanan Origins

Tilapia Systematics

Currently 3 Genera called ‘Tilapia’

Oreochromis – all ♀ Mouth Brooders

Tilapia – all Substrate Spawners

Sarotherodon – ♂ or ♂ & ♀ Mouth Brood

Tilapia Feeding Habits

Tilapias generally Herbivorous / Omnivorous

Low Tiers of Aquatic Food Chain

Feeding Habits Depend on Species, Life History

Stage, Size, Time of Day, Photoperiod etc.

Larval Stage: - Zooplankton Preferred but also

Phytoplankton

Juvenile (Transitional) Stage: – Phytoplankton

Adults: Great Variety – Aquatic Vegetation

Tilapia Larval Feed - Zooplankton

Gravid Copepod

Tilapia Juvenile Feed

Volvox

Adult Feed

Alga Melosira

Tilapia Water Quality Parameters

(Oreochromis niloticus)

Optimal Temperature 28°C

Optimal Salinity 5-10 ppm

Ammonia (NH3) LC50 3.4 ppm

Tolerate Wide Range pH 5 – 11

Dissolved Oxygen – Highly Variable Depends

On Multiple Factors Including Stress

Fertilizing Ponds

Main Objective – Stimulate Primary Productivity

Main Inputs: Nitrogen, Carbon & Phosphorus

Optimal Ratio: 45-50% C…

8-10% N

1% P

Organic Fertilizers:

Poultry Manure Domestic Sewage

Cattle Manure Green Manure

Composted Agricultural Waste

Tilapia

Mouth Brooder

Tilapia Life Cycle

Unhatched

Tilapia Life Cycle

Just Hatched

Tilapia Life Cycle

Tilapia Aquaculture

Feeding on Pellets

Costa Rican Tilapia Aquaculture

Tilapia Aquaculture

For Tilapia High Density Can Reduce Stress

Egyptian Tilapia Aquaculture

Harvest

Israeli Tilapia Aquaculture

Harvest

Tilapia

Processing

Tilapia Aquaculture

Kisumu (Lake Victoria Kenya) Fish Market

Catfish

Multiple Families – term Catfish best resolves

to the order Siluriformes

More than Half Catfish Species Live in the

Western Hemisphere

Bottom Feeders – Negatively Buoyant

Species from 8 Families Live Underground

(hypogean) others Cave Dwellers (trogobitic)

Walking Catfish Clarias batrachus can migrate

Overland to New Water Bodies.

Catfish Aquaculture

Ictaluridae, Claridae, Pangasidae & Siluridae

Pond Culture in US – Bamboo Cage in Vietnam

US Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)

US 160,000 to 170,000 mt/yr – Value $480 M

Mississippi 100,000 acres, 400 km2

Vietnamese ‘Catfish’ – Must be Called ‘Swai,

Tra or Basa’ not Catfish.

Channel Catfish

4 Pair Barbels

Catfish Aquaculture

Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus

Vietnam Catfish I

Swai or Tra Pangasius hypophthalamus

Vietnamese Catfish II

Basa Catfish Pangasius bocouti

Asian Catfish

Heron & Walking Catfish Clarias batrachus

Catfish Aquaculture

Barry with a Farmed Catfish

Catfish Aquaculture

Important Aquacultured American Species

Channel Catfish, Ictalurus punctatus: preferred by

consumers, economical to aquaculture, better

disease resistance, handles stress better.

Blue Catfish, Ictalurus furcatus: grows larger and

more uniformly, handles environmental change

better, processes more easily.

Catfish

Maximum Production 2003 at 300,000 mt

909 Catfish Farms in Operation

Fed Formulated Diets Based on Soy Protein.

Harvest at 1.0 - 1.5 lbs – 2011 Producers Received

Average of $.80 per lb.

When Skinned - dress out at 55-60% landed wgt

when Filleted – dress out at 40-45%

Fillet Appealing: White Flesh & Neutral Flavor

Lacking Scales, Catfish neither Kosher nor Halal

Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus

Blue Catfish Ictalurus furcatus

Catfish Life Cycle

Juvenile Striped Catfish – Plotosus lineatus

Catfish Farm

Mississippi Delta Catfish Farm

Catfish Aquaculture

Harvested Mississippi Catfish

Catfish Recreational Fishing

Predatory Blue Catfish Ictalurus furcatus

Catfish Aquaculture

Spray Pellet Feeding

Catfish Farm

Water Quality Sample – Catfish Pond

Catfish Life Cycle

Just Hatched

Catfish Aquaculture

Hungry for Bread

Catfish Aquaculture

Feeding Time

Catfish Farm

Drained Pond Africa

Catfish Aquaculture

Another Predator

Catfish Life Cycle

Yolksac Fry

Catfish Aquaculture

Catfish Predators

Catfish Farm

Juvenile Shed

Catfish Harvest

Transport

Catfish Harvest

Seine & Brail I

Catfish Harvest

Seine & Brail II

Catfish Life Cycle

Catfish Eggs

Catfish Farms I

Aeration

Catfish Farms II

10 Acre Ponds