The Biology and Culture of Tilapias

Cage Culture of Tilapias

Senior Fishery Resources Officer

(Aquaculture)

Inland Water Resources and Aquaculture Service

Fishery Resources and Environment Division

Food and Agriculture Organization

Rome 00100, Italy

COCHE, A.G. 1982. Cage culture of tilapias, p. 205-246. In R.S.V. Pullin

and R.H. Lowe-McConnell (eds.) The biology and culture of tilapias.

ICLARM Conference Proceedings 7, 432 p. International Center for

Living Aquatic Resources Management, Manila, Philippines.

This study presents a world-review of tilapia cage culture which is today

practiced in an increasing number of countries, mostly in tropical freshwaters.

Most culture systemsare on an experimental scale, and use Sarotherodon nilo-

ticus, S. mossambicus or S, aureus. Among the technological aspects of tilapia

cage culture, construction and design of cages, site selection criteria, and man-

agement of tilapia stocks are discussed briefly before presenting the various

technologies used for the production of either juveniles or food-fish in cages.

On the basis of feeding practices, adult tilapia may be rcised in extensive, semi-

intensive or intensive cultural systems. Extensive systems based on natural

feeding are described from eutrophic lakes and fertilized water bodies. Semi-

intensive systems (where lowcost and low-protein diets are fed) have been

successfully developed on an experimental scale either combining phytopha-

gous tilapia and a vegetable diet or utilizing agricultural byproducts in the

presence of algal blooms. As feed quality improves, the cultural system grad-

ually intensifies and feeding aspects become more important from the eco-

nomic viewpoint. These aspects are therefore discussed thoroughly before

reviewing the available data pertinent to intensive tilapia cage culture. Finally,

the advantages, constraints, research needs and prospects of this particular

technology are discussed. It is concluded that some tilapias present good pro-

duction potentials, particularly in cultural systems with low energy inputs.

Introduction

Fish cage culture has been defined as the rearing of fish stocks, gen-
erally from juvenile to market size, in a totally enclosed water volume
through which a free water circulation is maintained.
General reviews of fish cage culture as practiced in inland waters have
been published earlier (Coche 1978, 1979). The objective of the present
review is to present a synthesis of the information available on the application
of this culture technique to the production of tilapias.
Tilapia cage culture has a relatively short history. The first scientific
experimentation started around 1970 at Auburn University, Alabama with
the rearing of Sarotherodon aureus in cages placed in fish ponds (Armbrester