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Hawaiian gold tilapia breeding help!

T

taxidermist

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
I have 1,male and 3 female gold tilapia. They are 5-6" long and are currently housed in a 55 gallon aquarium. I change the water 1 or 2x a week depending on quality. They are fed hikari cichlid pellets.

Usually after water changes, one or more females will spawn. I have tried several times to let them raise with no success. They will spawn, the female gathers the eggs in her mouth and usually holds them for 4-5 days then spits the eggs to eat. Water temp is $78-80°f. I turn off filters when I see spawning occur so eggs and sperm are not washed away.

Twice I have tried relocating the female to my 60 gallon aquarium. One held eggs for a week, then ate them. The other I moved this morning, she spit all eggs immediately.

Any tips on getting them to successfully reproduce?
Thanks
 
Because your tank is so small, and more than just a pair, it is doubtful fry could be raised successfully there.
The male alone with the holding female would probably make it too stressful for here to carry the eggs and/or fry to term, and the would then be eaten by tank mates.
There are contraptions called egg tumblers.
When you see the female carrying, you catch her in a net where see naturally will spit out the eggs. You then place them in the tumbler (which mimics the action of the mother mouthing the eggs) and raise themartifically.
Sometimes it work, sometimes it doesn't.
Below are photos of one I used

above, it has a filter which keeps debris from forming on the eggs, it must be regularly cleaned, the air stone less keep eggs moving and aerated


I have also made DIY versions from a specimen container, and sponge filter, large enough to place a rock of a substrate spawning cichid




after a while they are transferred to a larger tank for rearing

They are available on eBay, and other places
 
duanes said:
Because your tank is so small, and more than just a pair, it is doubtful fry could be raised successfully there.
The male alone with the holding female would probably make it too stressful for here to carry the eggs and/or fry to term, and the would then be eaten by tank mates.
There are contraptions called egg tumblers.
When you see the female carrying, you catch her in a net where see naturally will spit out the eggs. You then place them in the tumbler (which mimics the action of the mother mouthing the eggs) and raise themartifically.
Sometimes it work, sometimes it doesn't.
Below are photos of one I used

above, it has a filter which keeps debris from forming on the eggs, it must be regularly cleaned, the air stone less keep eggs moving and aerated


I have also made DIY versions from a specimen container, and sponge filter, large enough to place a rock of a substrate spawning cichid




after a while they are transferred to a larger tank for rearing

They are available on eBay, and other places
Click to expand...


Thank you. I have kept them in the 55 gallon because it was recommended to me. Best to keep breeder colony small size for over wintering indoors. The offspring are to go outside in my aquaponics tote.
They are very docile for tilapia and don't beat on each other. My next try, I will leave the female holding eggs and remove the other fish. Thanks again.
 
I had 3 pairs of Coptodon (Tilapia) zillii in a 1000 gallon kiddy pool.
They spawned many times, and surviving fry were a rarity, even in 1000 gallons, the other Tilapines would pick off any errant fry. A 55 gal is really only a puddle, in comparison.



 
Update. Since posting, I had my first successful hatch. They are now 3 weeks old, 3/4" -1" long. I have moved them outside to my ibc aquaponics tote. Today during a water change in my breeder tank, I noticed a few new fry free swimming. So, I caught the mother and she expelled over 100 fry into a bowl. I have moved them to a fry tank.

The problem was not the size of the tank. MANY tilapia farmers utilize a 55gallon for breeding colonies. I upped their feedings and switched them to hikari cichlid pellets. I feel the mothers weren't storing enough calories to sustain them through the brooding period. As well as adding a large flower pot for the male to spawn in and moves the filtration to the opposite end of the tank to avoid the current washing the milt away.
I currently have another female mouth brooding eggs and another courting with the male.

My problem now is stopping them from breeding. Lol. Not really an issue. I'm looking to expand my aquaponics operation very soon!
 
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