The document discusses tilapia culture in the Philippines, specifically in brackish water ponds and cages. It notes that 40% of the country's brackish water ponds are unused, making tilapia culture well-suited. The Nile tilapia and Mozambique tilapia are the two main species cultured, with the Mozambique tilapia tolerating higher salinity levels. Brackish water pond and cage culture methods are described, including stocking densities, feeding, and expected harvest yields over 3-5 month culture periods. Cage culture is noted to be suitable for tilapia since they tolerate crowding and eat natural foods/supplements.

3. Tilapia Nursery

9. harvesting

10. Freshwater Cage Culture

18. Tilapia Brackishwater Culture
 The Philippines has more than 500,000 ha of brackish
water ponds, rivers, and estuaries.
 About 40% of the country’s brackish water ponds are
either idle or unproductive.
 With the problems of milkfish fry shortage and shrimp
disease, the expanded culture of tilapia in brackish
water areas is therefore timely and appropriate, since
the common cultured species or brackish water ponds
are milkfish, shrimps, and other fishes like tilapia.

19.  The Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is one of the
two important species of tilapia available in the
Philippines. It is commonly grown in freshwater ponds
and cages.
 The other one, the Mozambique tilapia (O.
mossambicus) is usually found in brackish water areas.
 Tilapia is the most important cultured freshwater fish
in the country.
 It can be easily bred in ponds, ‘hapas’ (inverted
mosquito nets) or concrete tanks.

20.  The Nile tilapia can only tolerate brackish water of up
to 25 parts per thousand (ppt) while the Mosambique
tilapia can tolerate salinities of up to 40 ppt.
 The hybrid of the two species can withstand salinities
by up to pure seawater (32 ppt).

21.  For brackish water pond culture of tilapia, the
preparation of the pond and methods of culture are
similar to those for milkfish.
 Stocking of tilapia fingerlings can range from 1 to 2 m2
for extensive culture and 4-5 m2 for intensive culture
with water depth of 0.3-1 m.
 Use of pond fertilization, supplemental feeding, or
commercial feeds can be applied depending on the
cultural management.
 The culture period can last for 3-5 months and yields
of harvestable-sized tilapia (100-200 g) can be 1-5
mt/ha per crop.

22.  For brackish water cage culture of tilapia, site selection is a




major factor.
A cage is an enclosure made of systematic netting which is
suspended from a floating frame (floating type) or
attached to structures (fixed type) that are implanted into
the bottom of a water body. Cages can vary in a size from 1
to 1,000 m2 and depths of 1-5 m.
Freshwater bodies like ponds, lakes, reservoirs, and rivers
can be used for cage culture of tilapia if they have good
quality and sufficient water for water exchange through the
cage to allow replenishment of oxygen and removal of
wastes, one of the two requirements for fish to grow in
cages.
The other one is food that can come from water/or fed to
the fish.
The water current in rivers should not be too fast to make
fish swim against it.

23.  The tilapia is a suitable fish for cage culture because it
can tolerate crowding, thrives on natural food such as
plankton, and accepts artificial feeds.
 The stocking of only male tilapia in cages or 95 to 99%
males also improves growth, survival and feed
conversion because the male grows faster than the
male.
 One practical and economical method for the
production of all male tilapia fingerlings is the socalled sex reversal technology (SRT).

24.  Rivers and estuaries should have a minimum depth of
1.5 m at low tide with slow to moderate current and
good quality.
 Cages can have sizes of 1-4 m2.
 With artificial feeding and culture periods of 3-5
months, yields of 30-50 kg/m2 of harvestable-sized
tilapia can be obtained.

25. Thank you!