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Over the years, the popularity of tilapia has grown steadily, leading most people to call it the true chicken of the sea. This branding is true to its words because Tilapia are very easy to farm and are relatively low maintenance. There are over 100 breeds of Tilapia that you can farm, and each fish can grow up to 2 pounds in less than a year. To help you learn how to raise Tilapia for money, here are some tips to get you started.
When choosing fish tanks, you do not have to worry much about the size because just about any size will do. Size would just depend on the volume or the number of fish you plan to farm. Tilapia can live in high-density tanks, so you can raise a lot of fish in a relatively small tank. Many people raise their fish in small soft walled swimming pools.
Water in your fish tank or pond should always be kept clean and temperature must always be monitored. A good filtration system is needed to prevent fatal buildups of ammonia and other harmful substances. Typical temperature of fish tanks for Tilapia falls in between 75 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Anything below or above this will surely prevent your fish from growing properly, and may even cause death.
In choosing the feeds for your fish, you should know that they will eat any type, but they have a slight preference for algae and aquatic plants. Experts stated that two pounds of feed would yield one pound of fillet.
There are also other benefits of farming Tilapia other than the profits that you would rake in. First of all, Tilapia are naturally aggressive breeders. This means that you do not have to concern yourselves about this too much. The only thing you have to do is to setup a predominantly male fish tank to prevent overpopulation because Tilapia placed in a mixed-gender tank mate younger than desired. Then when you want to have fingerlings, introduce some females and a few drops of hormones to make sure that your new fish will also be males.
Another advantage of learning how to raise Tilapia is that these fish are immune to most diseases that may affect other types of fish. They have a relatively strong immune system, and this makes them very easy to take care of. Also, with less disease-stricken Tilapia, you can minimize the number of dead fish that you cannot sell for profit.
Finally, another benefit, although this one is for the consumers, is that these fish do not have that strong fishy taste that others may detest. Because of this slightly bland taste, many people are overcoming their reservations about eating fish on a regular basis. Also, Tilapia contain the healthy fish oils that doctors have been recommending in recent years. Because of this, eating Tilapia is not only cost-effective, but also healthy.
Breeding and selling Tilapia is a good, self reliant hobby for anyone. It would not require you to have much starting capital, and it would not take all of your time and energy. All in all, this is the hobby that you can have if you have any entrepreneurial aspirations for your future.
