Aquaculture program
Name: Tilapia (African Cichlids)

General Description: Tilapia are a robust, tropical fish originally imported from east Africa. They do best in warm water and have minimal respiratory demands making them easy to transport. Tilapia reproduce rapidly and will tend to overpopulate. Currently tilapia are becoming a favored product of food fish farmers and consumers enjoy their flavor. These fish are also considered a good forage fish for bass and catfish populations due to their rapid reproduction rate. In the Southwest it is usually necessary to restock tilapia each year due to winter water temperatures that drop below their survival limits. The cost to restock still undercuts the cost of chemical treatments producing similar results. Tilapia are an excellent tool in controlling filamentous and chemically resistant nuisance algae such as lyngbya.

Size Range: 3-8 inches up to 3 lbs.

Temperature Range & Water Quality Standards: Lowest 54-56°F, Optimal 70°F, Upper range 86-90°F.

Spawning Habits & Conditions: Tilapia reach adulthood in the second 6 months of life. Tilapia will spawn at approximately 6 inches in size. Tilapia require 68-70°F to spawn and will spawn repeatedly at 4-5 week intervals in warm water.

The male constructs a nest in shallow water digging a hole in the lake bottom. The size of the nest is dependent on the size of the fish and should be considered a factor when stocking in lakes constructed with liners. Nesting holes up to 3 feet deep have been noted. Eggs are laid and fertilized in the nest and then watched or held in the males mouth until hatched, hence some species are called mouth-brooders.

Hatches of several hundred to several thousand offspring occur in six days. The T. zilli spawn at a greater rate than the T. mozambique which spawn a higher percentage of male offspring.

Diet: Each species of Tilapia shows a marked preference for certain foods. Some species feed only on microorganisms while others also feed on plant materials. Most of our interest has been with mixed gene pools which, due to their voracious appetite, will control chemically resistant blue green algae's, i.e. lyngbya, which are a common nuisance in the Southwest. 1-3 inch Tilapia will tend to consume more nuisance algae than larger fish. Most Tilapia will also consume insect larvae, crustaceans and decaying organic material.

Stocking Rates & Suggestions: 300-500 brood Tilapia per acre. When stocking with bass allow tilapia to become established prior to introduction of bass.