1.
TILAPIA HATCHERY
MANAGEMENT AND
FINGERLING PRODUCTION
Evelyn H. Zafra
BFAR-NFFTC, CLSU, Science City of Munoz

2.
TILAPIA
• Native to Nile and North Africa
• Extensively farmed throughout Asia
• Now a global species

3.
TILAPIA
• Dubbed as “aquatic chicken”
- Grows fast
- breeds easily in captivity
- Propagation and culture is not too expensive
- Hatcheries can readily supply the seedstock
requirement of grow-out operators

4.
• Introduced in 1950 (O. mossambicus)
• Origin: Thailand

5.
1972 - Oreochromis niloticus
((Nile tilapia, Pla-Pla, Giant tilapia, Meztiso, KinabasiNile tilapia, Pla-Pla, Giant tilapia, Meztiso, Kinabasi ))
Presence of strong vertical stripes on the caudal fin.
Origin: Israel, Thailand

6.
10 oocytes
I. NEST BUILDING &
COURTSHIP
(1-5 days)
II. OVULATION & SPAWNING
(<2 hours)
Spawned female
leaves lek
IV. NURSERY
(10-30 days)
continued maternal
dependency; fry and
mother begin to feed
incubation period is T0 C dependent
Development
of ovary after
incubation
Speed of ovarian
development varies
with period of maternal
dependency and food
availability
re-entry of
recovered
female
into lek
boundary of lek
III. INCUBATION
(6-10 days)*holding of seed
in the mouth continuously
mature oocytes
V. FEEDING & RECOVERY
(14 -30 days)
Natural Reproductive Cycle ofNatural Reproductive Cycle of Oreochromis spp.spp.
Adapted from AIT Hand-out “The Nile Tilapia: Techniques for mass Fingerling Production and Grow-out,
1992.

7.
Relationship between the Number of Eggs Laid withRelationship between the Number of Eggs Laid with
the size of the Female Tilapiathe size of the Female Tilapia
Directly ProportionalDirectly Proportional
Hepher and Fruginin, 1981

8.
DEVELOPMENT OFDEVELOPMENT OF O. NILOTICUS ATAT
28°C28°C
Stage 5
3.75 - 5 days
Stage 2
14-30 hrs.
Stage 1
2-3 hrs. 30-48 hrs.
Stage 3 Stage 4
3 days
Stage 6
5-6 days 9-12 days
Stage 7

9.
o Depends on:
Growth of TilapiaGrowth of Tilapia
- stocking rates
- water quality
- food supply
o Male grow faster (10-20%)

10.
Juveniles
- Omnivorous and mainly consumes copepods, phytoplankton and insects
- By 6 cm TL, diet becomes primarily phytoplankton
Diet/NutritionDiet/Nutrition
Fry Mash Starter Grower
Types of Commercial Feeds
Adults
- Utilizes phytoplankton (blue-green algae and diatoms) but may also
consume macrophytes when phytoplankton densities are low
- consumes commercially available and/or formulated feeds

11.
Intestine/Gut LengthIntestine/Gut Length
Tilapia has an intestine
length between five to
eight times its body
length.
Tilapia has an intestine
length between five to
eight times its body
length.

12.
Environmental RequirementEnvironmental Requirement
Parameter Level Remarks
Temperature (°C) 28 - 32 Optimum for reproduction and growth
Stops feeding at 16°C, disease-induced
mortalities at 10-18°C below
Dissolve Oxygen (ppm) >5 Minimum for optimum growth
Salinity (ppt) 10 -15 Favors growth of Nile Tilapia
Nile tilapias can reproduce in salinities up
to 10 to 15 ppt, but perform better at
salinities below 5 ppt
Fry numbers declines at 10 ppt
pH 6.5 – 9.0 Optimum for primary production
Total ammonia (mg/l) 0.02 – 0.05 0.08 mg/l unionized ammonia can cause
decreased food consumption of fish
Nitrite (mg/l) < 27 Toxic due to less capacity of hemoglobin in
taking oxygen
Turbidity (cm) 30 – 35 For pond productivity

13.
TILAPIA CULTURE
• Hatchery – production of seedstocks both for nursery and grow-out
• Nursery - rearing of fry to advance fingerlings for grow-out
• Grow-out - growing of tilapia fingerlings to table size for consumption

14.
TILAPIA HATCHERY
A place for artificial
breeding of tilapia,
hatching and rearing and
nursery from various
stages of development:
eggs (hatchlings), pre-
swim-up fry, swim-up fry,
post fry to fingerlings.

15.
TILAPIA HATCHERY
• Allows the tilapia grow-out farmer to have ready fingerlings
whenever he needs
• As long as the demand of fingerlings exists, a well
managed hatchery can turn to be a good business

16.
TYPES/METHOD OF TILAPIA HATCHERY
• Open pond (the most commonly used)
• Tanks
• Hapas (net enclosures) placed in ponds
Fry collected from the spawning units (pond, tank, hapa) are
stocked to rearing units before stocking to grow-out
Fingerlings collected are directly stocked to grow-out units

17.
OPEN POND METHOD
• Tilapia breed freely in ponds
• Quality fingerlings is important to be used by fishfarmers
• Poor fingerlings result in poor harvests
• Consider using properly produced fingerlings
• Ensure profit

18.
OPEN POND METHOD
• The most common and simplest way of producing tilapia
fingerlings
• Breeders are allowed to spawn naturally in the pond
• Pond serves both for breeding and rearing of fry to
fingerlings

19.
MANAGEMENT
PROCEDURE IN
OPEN POND
HATCHERY

20.
1. CONDITIONING OF BREEDERS
• Male and female breeders are stocked in separate pond
• Breeders are given supplemental feeds with high protein content
• To regain their energy loss during the previous breeding
• Healthy breeders will give healthy offspring
♀♂♂

21.
SEX DIFFERENTIATION FOR TILAPIASEX DIFFERENTIATION FOR TILAPIA
2. Urogenital pore
2. Genital pore
1. anus
3. Urinary pore
♀♀
♂♂
11 22 33
11 22
1. anus

22.
2. PREPARATION OF BREEDING POND
- Fishpond is allowed to completely drain first so that all the previous stocks are collected
- Pond bottom is tilled using a tractor
- If necessary, hydrated lime is applied all over the pond bottom.
- Breeding pond is prepared in such a way that the pond bottom is soft and leveled for ease of the
male breeders in building their nest.
- Pond is filled with water to a depth of 0.75 to 1.0 meter

23.
Oreochromis’ NestsOreochromis’ Nests

24.
3. SELECTION AND STOCKING OF
BREEDERS
- Hatchery operators and workers must have skills in selecting female breeders
that are ready to spawn and male breeders that are ready to mate.
- A ready to spawn female breeder has swollen papillae and distended abdomen,
while a ready to mate has protruding reddish urogenital papillae.
- The average weight of breeders to be stocked in the breeding pond is about 250g
to 500g
- stocking density of breeders – 1 breeder/2m2
- 200-500kg/ha.
- 1 set per 5-7sq.meter
- Sex ratio -1:3 (male:female)
♀

25.
4. ROUTINE POND MANAGEMENT
• Feeding
• Water quality monitoring
• Maintenance of pond system
• Monitoring of water depth
• Observation for the presence of fry

26.
5. HARVESTING OF SEEDSTOCKS
A. FINGERLINGS COLLECTION METHOD
- 15-21 days after stocking of breeders
- Seining/harvesting is done weekly thereafter depending on the
weather condition/water temperature (250
C)
- Fingerlings are transferred to conditioning tanks
- Conditioning is very important to ensure high survival during
transport to grow-out units

27.
5. HARVESTING OF SEEDSTOCKS
B. FRY COLLECTION METHOD
- 10-15 days after stocking ready to spawn breeders, schools of fry
may be observed
- scissors net is used for harvesting
- collection is daily (morning and afternoon) along the edges of
pond
dikes or all over the pond
- collected fry are further reared to fingerlings size (hapa, pond,
tank)

28.
INTENSIVE TILAPIA HATCHERY
C. EGG COLLECTION METHOD

29.
INTENSIVE TILAPIA
HATCHERY TECHNOLOGY
Aqua Farming Tech, Inc.
Thermal California, USA

30.
Egg grader
Incubation jars Hatchery Set up
Hatchery paraphernalia on the wall

31.
Aerated water supply
Pail
Paint Brush

32.
I.I. COLLECTION OF EGGS FROM BREEDING PONDSCOLLECTION OF EGGS FROM BREEDING PONDS
Collection will commence seven to ten days
after stocking of ready to spawn and ready to
matebreeders.
Breeders will be seined towards the area where the “baklad” is installed
.
Breeders will be trapped
where they will be scooped and put into the breeders bed
Eggs in the mouth of female breeders will be collected and will be transferred to the pail
Eggs will be immediately transported to the hatchery

33.
II. CLEANING OF EGGS, ESTIMATION ANDII. CLEANING OF EGGS, ESTIMATION AND
TRANSFERRING TO INCUBATION JARSTRANSFERRING TO INCUBATION JARS
eggs will be put in fry trough and cleaned in flowing water separating from dirt
Quantity of eggs will be estimated by putting them in a 500ml stainless mug
Based on Aqua Farming Tech, Inc. 1 ml:120-
165 pcs eggs
Eggs will be transferred to a 500 ml beaker for
easy transferring to incubation jars
Eggs will passed through a funnel directing it to the incubating jars

34.
III. EGG INCUBATION, HATCHING OF EGGS ANDIII. EGG INCUBATION, HATCHING OF EGGS AND
GRADING OF SWIM-UP FRYGRADING OF SWIM-UP FRY
Eggs will stay in incubation system for three days or until all eggs are hatched to swim up fry.
Swim up fry will be graded before transferring to fry troughs for further rearing
without direct contact to the fry, it will be released in the
pail that is placed at the bottom of the outlet of the fry
trough by opening the outlet hole of the fry trough
To completely collect the fry, let the water flow and push the
remaining fry towards the outlet using paint brush

35.
Put collected fry in the grader
The remaining fry in the grader will be set
aside by putting the fry to another pail
Continue activity everyday until all the eggs
are fully hatched to swim up fry.

36.
IV. FRY REARING IN FRY TROUGHIV. FRY REARING IN FRY TROUGH
Feeding will be done every four hours
(level of water in troughs should be lowered before feeding)
Simultaneous cleaning of fry trough should be done by brushing the
walls using a sponge
When water is already shallow, saturate the fry with feeds
Fry will stay in the fry trough for one week before it will be transferred
in the nursery tanks.
Raise water to desired level

37.
V. TRANSFERRING, REARING AND FEEDING OFV. TRANSFERRING, REARING AND FEEDING OF
FINGERLINGS IN THE STAINLESS NURSERYFINGERLINGS IN THE STAINLESS NURSERY
TANKSTANKS
Transfer fry from hatchery to stainless
nursery tanks for further rearing and
growing to size until fish is ready to be
transferred to large circular/rectangular
concrete tanks
Fish in nursery tanks is fed four times daily
Monitoring of the condition of fish, regular
cleaning of the tanks and regular feeding are
the activities to be undertaken.

38.
VI. TANK PREPARATION AND STOCKING OFVI. TANK PREPARATION AND STOCKING OF
FINGERLINGS TO CONCRETEFINGERLINGS TO CONCRETE
CIRCULAR/RECTANGULAR TANKSCIRCULAR/RECTANGULAR TANKS
Fingerlings are further grown to juvenile size at
concrete tanks
Tanks are cleaned by brushing the walls and
floorings before being stocked
Water will be allowed to enter then after sometime,
the water will be washed out
For circular tanks, ring of feeds will be broadcasted
by hand one foot apart while in rectangular tank,
feeds are broadcasted in a straight line way
Once tank was thoroughly cleaned, feeds will be
broadcasted

39.
BFAR-NFFTC Modified Intensive Tilapia HatcheryBFAR-NFFTC Modified Intensive Tilapia Hatchery

40.
BFAR-NFFTC Modified Intensive Tilapia HatcheryBFAR-NFFTC Modified Intensive Tilapia Hatchery
Conditioning tank
of breeders

41.
BFAR-NFFTC Modified Intensive Tilapia HatcheryBFAR-NFFTC Modified Intensive Tilapia Hatchery
Breeding Pond
Area

42.
BFAR-NFFTC Modified Intensive Tilapia HatcheryBFAR-NFFTC Modified Intensive Tilapia Hatchery
Artificial Incubation

43.
BFAR-NFFTC Modified Intensive Tilapia HatcheryBFAR-NFFTC Modified Intensive Tilapia Hatchery
Breeders Sorting
Net

44.
BFAR-NFFTC Modified Intensive Tilapia HatcheryBFAR-NFFTC Modified Intensive Tilapia Hatchery
Seine Net

45.
COST AND RETURN OF
1.2 HECTARE TILAPIA
HATCHERY IN
EARTHEN PONDS

46.
Assumptions:
1. Land Area: 12,000 m2
2. Water Area: 9,160 m2
3. Water Depth:1.0 m
4. Number of Compartments:12 units
5. Water Source: Irrigation and Deep well as back-up
6. No. of cropping/year: 7 cropping /year
COST AND RETURN ANALYSIS OF 1.2 HECTARE
TILAPIA HATCHERY IN EARTHEN PONDS

47.
Particulars Unit Cost (Php) Quantity Total Cost (Php)
2.Land clearing 20,000.00/ha 1.2 ha. P 24,000.00
3..Excavation/diking/compaction 3,000/hour 148 hours 444,000.00
4.Water supply system
- lined supply system
385.00/linear m
459 linear meter
176,715.00
5.Drainage system
- underground
drainage canal
- drainage manhole
- catch basin
144,262.50
8,250.00
111,728.00
6.Pump and installation 2 160,000.00
7.Equipments/ Paraphernalia
- seine net
- weighing scale
- tubs/buckets
5,060.00
2,500.00
2,000.00
2 rolls of b-net
1 unit
5 units
10,120.00
2,500.00
10,000.00
8.Twin holding tanks 20,000.00/unit 2 units 40,000.00
9.Caretaker’s house/ bodega 5,000.00/m2
5m X 4m 100,000.00
10.Vehicle (2nd
hand) 300,000.00 25% of the time for the project 75,000.00
TOTAL P 1,306,575.5
TABLE 1. CAPITAL INVESTMENT

48.
Particulars Unit Cost (Php) Quantity Costs (Php)
a. Fertilizers Applied
- Ammonium Phosphate (16-20-0)
1,200.00/bag
12 bags
14,400.00
b. Feeds
- Fish fry mash
- Fish Finisher
1000/bag
800/bag
5 bags
630 bags
5,000.00
504,000.00
c. Fuel
- Diesel
47.00/li
200 lt
9,400.00
d. Electricity 1,000.00/mo. 12 mos. 12,000.00
e. Irrigation fee 1,750/ha twice a year 3,500.00
f. Labor Caretaker
Additional labourer
(harvesting, sizing and marketing)
7,500.00/mo.
250.00/day
1 @ 12 mos.
5 laborers 2 days harvest @ 10
cycles/yr
90,000.00
12,500.00
g. Miscellaneous (oxygen tanks, Plastics and
rubber bands, etc)
60,000
Sub-total 710,800.00
h.10% Contingencies (Travelling & representation, etc) 71,080.00
Add: Production Cost/100g breeders
* See attached Production cost/ for (100g breeders)
136,653.00
TOTAL P 918,533.00
TABLE 2. OPERATING CAPITAL

49.
Particulars Unit Cost (Php) Quantity Costs (Php)
a. Breeders (Fingerling size) 1.00 25,000 pcs. P 25,000.00
b. Fertilizers Applied
- Chicken Manure (basal)
- Ammonium Phosphate (16-20-0)
80.00/bag
1,000/bag
56.54 bags
2 bags
4,523.00
2,000.00
c. Feeds
- Fish fry mash
- Fish Starter
- Fish Grower
- Fish Finisher
83/kg
31.2/kg
29.2/kg
25.2/kg
100 kg
675 kg
725 kg
1,000 kg
8,300.00
21,060.00
21,170.00
25,200.00
d. Fuel
- Diesel
44.00/li
25 li/wk @ 4 wks for 4 months
17,600.00
e. Electricity 1,200.00
e. Labor Caretaker
Additional laborer
(seining, sexing and conditioning of broodstock)
7,500.00/mo.
250.00/day
1 @ 3 mos.
3 laborers@ 2 days
22,500.00
1,500.00
TOTAL P 136,653
TABLE 3. PRODUCTION COST / 100g BREEDERS

50.
EQUIPMENTS
COST ECONOMIC LIFE
ANNUAL
DEPRECIATION
1.Paraphernalia's
- seine nets
- bucket/ tubs
- weighing scale
10,120.00
5,000.00
2,500.00
2 years
3 years
2 years
5,060.00
1,666.00
1,250.00
2.Pump and accessories 80,000.00 10 years 8,000.00
3.Water Supplies structures 176,715.00 10 years 17,671.00
4. Drainage structures 264,240.50 15 years 17,616.00
5.Twin holding tanks 40,000.00 15 years 2,666.00
5. Farm building 100,000.00 15 years 7,142.00
6. Vehicle
(25% of time for the project)
75,000.00 10 years 7,500.00
TOTAL P 68,571.00
TABLE 4. DEPRECIATION OF VALUE

51.
PROJECTED PRODUCTION
Assumptions:
*Breeders = 6,000 pcs (4,500 female; 1,500 male)
Fingerlings production per female breeder = 200 pieces
Fingerlings produced/cycle = 4,500 female breeders X 200
fingerlings
= 900,000 pcs
Production per year = 900,000 x 10 cropping= 9,000,000 pcs
* Size distribution: size 24, 50% = 4,500,000pcs.
size 22, 30% = 2,700,000pcs.
size 17, 20% = 1,800,000 pcs.

52.
27
PROJECTED SALES = Quantity - 10% allowance x unit price
Size 24 = 4,500,000 x .10 x 0.15
= Php 607,500.00
Size 22 = 2,700,000 x .05 x .25
= PhP 641,250.00
Size 17 = 1,800,000 x .05 x .35
= PhP 4598,500.00
TOTAL GROSS SALES = 1,847,250.00

53.
CAPITAL INVESTMENT = Development cost + Operating Cost
= P 1,306,575.5 + P 918,533
= P 2,225,108.5
OPERATING COST/YR = Operating cost + Depreciation Cost
= P 918,533.00 + 68,571.00
= P 987,104.00
NET INCOME BEFORE TAX = Sales – Operating Cost
= P 1,847,250.00 – P 987,104.00 = P
860,146.00
NET INCOME AFTER TAX = Net income before tax - (15% Provision Tax)
= P 860,146.00- P 129,022 = P 731,124.00
RETURN ON INVESTMENT = Net income after tax
------------------------- X 100
Total Project Cost
= P 731,124.00
----------------- X 100% =
32.85%

54.
RETURN ON OPERATING EXPENSES = Net income after tax
----------------------- X 100
Operating Cost
= P 731,124.00
------------------------ X 100
P 987,104.00
= 74.06%
Capital Investment
PAYBACK PERIOD = -------------------------
Net income after tax
= P 2,225,108.5
------------------------- = 3 years