The Biology and Culture of Tilapias

1972 ; Suwanasart 1972). Since then, the technique has spread progressively

to several other regions of the world (Table 1).

Because of some of its inherent advantages, such as the possibility of using

existing tropical water bodies to produce a fast growing and well accepted

food fish, tilapia cage culture is raising more and more interest, particularly

in tropical, developing countries. It is hoped that this review will contribute

not only to the justification of such interest but also to an improved tech-

nology and its wise application.

The Present Status of Tilapia Cage Culture

Although a relatively new development, tilapia cage culture is now found

in several tropical countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America (Table 1).

In North America it remains confined to the state of Alabama, where it has

been studied for about 10 years. In Europe, tilapia cage culture is practiced

only in Belgium in the thermal effluent of a nuclear power station (Philippart

et al. 1979).

Most tilapia cage culture is done on an experimental scale and in fresh

waters. The few exceptions are as follows: experimental/brackishwater in the

Ivory Coast, Costa Rica and Puerto Rico; commercial/freshwater in the

Philippines and El Salvador and commercial/brackishwater in the Ivory

Coast.

The tilapias most commonly used are S. mossambicus (in Asia and Latin

America), S. niloticus (especially in Africa) and S. aureus (especially in

North and Latin America). Six other species are also listed (Table I), but of

these only Tilapia rendalli, as a phytophagous fish in Latin America and S.

melanotheron (formerly T. heudelotii) as a brackishwater species in the Ivory

Coast are likely to become important. The hybrid S. niloticus x S. mossam-

bicus is being tried in a few Asian countries where it may have better qualities

than S. mossambicus for cage culture.

There is a definite potential for tilapia cage culture in the rivers and lakes

of many Latin American countries (ADCP 1978) and Africa (Coche 1979;

ADCP 1980), both on a commercial scale and as subsistence fish culture for

local people. Plans for expansion of cage culture are contemplated in several

Asian countries including China (Song pers. comm.) and the Philippines

(Guerrero 1979a and Castro pers. comm.). It looks, therefore, as if tilapia

cage culture has a bright future, particularly in tropical, developing countries.

In colder climates, the utilization of thermal effluents may also lead to the

development of tilapia cage culture (Philippart et al. 1979).

Technological Aspects of Tilapia Cage Culture

The general technological aspects of cage culture have been discussed
elsewhere (Coche 1978, 1979). The purpose here therefore is to stress
those aspects which are particularly relevant to tilapia cage culture, although
some repetition appears unavoidable.