Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) – Although tilapia have been grown in cages in canals, lakes, rivers and reservoirs, pond culture of Nile tilapia is most common in Thailand, especially in rural areas.
Pond farms range from less than 0.5 ha to over 20 ha [1 to 50 acres] in area.
Most farmers fertilize their ponds with chicken manure and/or chemical fertilizers to enhance planktonic growth for greenwater culture.
Feeding is supplementary only. Quality feeds are available, but due to their high prices and the low sale prices of fish grown in ponds, most farmers are unable to use them.
Since the feeds are often not of standard quality in terms of nutrient contents and moisture, it is difficult to assess feed conversion and other growth performance parameters.
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They use the cheapest feeds and farm byproducts available to reduce production cost and thereby maximize profits.
Culturing tilapia in greenwater ponds is the most cost-effective method. However, this method can cause off-flavors in the fish flesh due to chemicals produced by certain algae. Off-flavor problems can be solved by balancing the natural foods with homemade feed of high quality. Cage culture in lakes and rivers has been practiced to avoid this problem.
Cage culture
Cage farming in canals and rivers became popular within the last decade. Farmers are attracted to cage farming because it has been heavily promoted and avoids the off-flavor problems. Cage culture now contributes about one-third of the total production, although less than 5 percent of farmers practice it.
Almost all the cage farmers practice single-species culture with red tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus x O. mossambicus) or black Nile tilapia (O. niloticus).
Although they use commercial pellets, the feeds are normally of rather low quality. Cage farmers feed two to three times daily, and feed-conversion ratios remain between 1.4 and 1.8.
Although cage culture has been contributing to greater export volume, its long-term sustainability is in question …
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VIDEO: Thailand talapia eating and living in actual chicken feces