Biology Question

[foodchain]

Possibly wrong place to post...my apologies. I didn't see a place that fit.

It's a question on biology.

Prolonged exposure to brown blood disease is supposed to have adverse effects including sterilization of fish...or so I have read. Keep this thought in mind.

My Tilapia spend more time breeding instead of getting bigger as of lately. Wasn't a problem in the past, but this generation just wants to breed. For my purposes, this is wasted energy. I am trying to make them bigger, faster.

IF the above note on Brown Blood is true, then wouldn't I want to expose them to it to sterilize them, forcing the body to grow instead of breed. Therby making them bigger? But I have no way of testing to know when is enough enough. I can't find any articles anywhere on this. I don't like the reverse sex options or the hormone options I have read. Any input on this would be greatly appreciated.

[keith_r]

you've got other options..
if you suspend something like egg crate over the bottom of the tank, you'll keep the female from picking up and hatching her eggs, so she'll eat..
you could increase the water temp of the breeders.. i think if you are over 96f, you'll have over 95% males from that hatch..
chemicals can be used when the fish are fry to change them to male if i'm not mistaken.. but i want to avoid stuff like that..
i think some cross breeds of tilapia have higher % male offsprig

[urbanfarmer]

Maybe it meant they would be sterile because they would be dead?

Can you share the academic literature, please?

[keith_r]

litarature regarding which aspect? lots of info out there on all of the points mentioned
kellen is our resident tilapia expert, he can probably chime in on this.. but
i was a little off on a couple of the numbers regarding temps, but there is this;
http://www.waset.org/journals/ijbls/v6/v6-1-7.pdf

[urbanfarmer]

My post was in reference to...

Prolonged exposure to brown blood disease is supposed to have adverse effects including sterilization of fish...or so I have read. Keep this thought in mind.

[keith_r]

i guess i'm just used to you questioning me..

[urbanfarmer]

I figured

[davidstcldfl]

My post was in reference to...

Prolonged exposure to brown blood disease is supposed to have adverse effects including sterilization of fish...or so I have read. Keep this thought in mind.

UF, I sent you an email with with the article on brown blood. It was from another site.

[urbanfarmer]

Replied. I don't think that was the article though.

[foodchain]

I pulled that referance from a book I have. Let me see if I can find something on it online.
The egg crate is a nice idea. I can't control temp though on breeders. It's whatever TX weather gives me. I keep them outside during the growing season.
Sterility is listed as a harmful side effect of brown blood, however my question is, is this necassarily a harmfull thing? If I can limit the effects to just that, than I would say no. But I am not so arrogant to think I can control something like that with such preciseness. Since it's winter, I do have the option of attempting something like this. But question whether or not it's a good idea.