The Filipino Entrepreneur

I. Preparing the Fishpond

• Construct a small fishpond in areas having suitable clay soil and abundant water supply, about 10 meters wide, 20 meters long and 1 meter depth.

• Irrigate up to 3 to 5 centimeters (cm.) water level.

• Apply 1 kilo of dried chicken manure fertilizer per square meter (sqm.) of the pond

• Let natural fish food organisms grow in 15 to 17 days.

• Irrigate the pond up to 50 cm. level. The pond is now prepared for stocking of the tilapia breeders/adults.

II. Stocking of Tilapia Breeders

• This is done early in the morning or in the afternoon when the weather is cool.

• The ratio is, 1 male is to 3 female. Avoid to pair many male tilapias because it tends to slow down the production of fingerlings because they tend to eat their own fingerlings due to lack of feed. 1-2 tilapias may be dropped per square meter.

III. Management

Feeding System

• Feed the tilapias twice a day by using a duck layer mash or broiler mash, about 3 to 5 percent of the fish body weight. Do not give feeds with high protein as it tends to make the fish fat and incapable to lay eggs.

IV. Harvesting

• The tilapias lay eggs from 20 to 26 days. Three to five days after the eggs are hatched, the fingerlings should be collected early in the morning and transfer it in the rearing net enclosures.

Source: http://www.da.gov.ph