Breeding Tilapia help

[dsrtlzrd32]

I have a 600 gallon IBC system, without anything on the bottom of the ibc's. I got 30 golden tilapia fingerlings in May 2013. They have been doing very well, they are about 5-6" long and getting very fat. My water temp ranges between 75 and 70 F. From what I read, tilapia don't anything more than warm water and they will breed like crazy. Is that correct?

I thought I would have had some new fingerlings being born by now since just a month ago my water temps were in the 80's and the fish were pretty big then too. My system is built into the ground so I can only see the tilapia from the top, and I can't tell if any are holding eggs from that perspective. Do they need anything else (gravel, hiding places, etc.) to breed or should I be fine as is? Any help would be appreciated, I don't want to start eating any tilapia till I have some new ones growing in the system.

Thanks

[Apollo]

I just wanted to let you know you're not along on that question, I started with 20 Pink Tilapias @ 1 inch back in the beginning of Sept. My fish are 4 - 5 inches, several having "big belly". I have make up a tower out of all my left over PVC tubing. I even add live plants growing out the tops of many of the smaller PVC tubing. There's one rock with lots of cavities and areas to hide in, they really seem like they like that area. My tank is clear all the way to the bottom and when I open up the spar cover in the morning the tank appears to be fishless. Just before a stream of fish come out from one of the passageways under the rock next to the tower..

Not sure what else need to be done to allow fish to breed and stay in the same tank. So I'm joining your post and hopefully we'll both get are answer.

To view my set up go to "Pipe Siphon by Apollo", There are more pictures of my set up on some of my other sites as well.

When you get time add some pictures to your post, we all love pic. Thank...Good Luck!

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I HAVE NOT FAILED. I'VE JUST FOUND 10,000 WAYS THAT WON'T WORK. Thomas A Edison

[JCO]

Scatter large clay flower pots on their sides facing away from each other on the bottom of the FT. The males will claim a territory and lure the females into them to breed. If you are using filtration with a suction, the fry will be sucked up and lost when the female releases them. You must use some kind of air/foam filtration to keep from loosing the fry. Also there should be no more than one male to every 3 or 4 females or the males will kill the females.

[Roger L.]

Being as the male likes to build a nest, should we put some aquarium gravel in the pots to make them moe likely to spawn? Also the only way to tell male from female is to catch them and look at their bellies. How stressfull is it on the fish to be netted for inspection? Through observation of behavior I "think" I have them figured out but am not 100% sure. Is it important that the pots are back to back or is that just a space saving idea?

[eddiemigue]

Interesting question to me as well. I have about 60 blue tilapia that I got in April 2013, and the are now 6"-9" in a FT with no places for a nest/etc. I figured that they may not be reproducing b/c of a combination of low temp's (70's) and insufficient space; I've read that they release a hormone to prevent reproduction when there are too many in a tight space.

I may move a male with a couple of females to a separate tank, raise the water temp there, add some clay pots, and play some Barry White for them. I'm thinking guaranteed success...

[JCO]

Nothing by clay pots is required...no gravel...and the pots do not have to be back to back as long as one male can not see into another's clay pot from their clay pot. Privacy is a must when dating

[eddiemigue]

Let's talk ideal scenario here...

If I were to move some fish to a 55Gal aquarium for breeding purposes, how many of each sex, and what size clay pots would you recommend?

[JCO]

one male to every three or four females and the pots should be big enough for two of them to get inside and manuver around with the pot laying on it's side. Also it would be adviseable to have multiple pots to provide places for the females to hide from the male as he will try to force them to follow him to his pot for breeding. It can get quite violent at times and females can be injured or killed if you are not monitoring.

[Apollo]

Thanks JCO, I went by Goodwill on the way home from work and spent $15 for something just a little more decorative (ceramic pots and a cookie jar). On the underside of the cookie jar lid, I cut notches for the frys to hide. Kind a like nursery addition to the main house.

It's amazing what light refection off from water can do the a picture, I had to take the last picture right at sundown. All pots, rock and tower are one to two feet underwater, fish are mostly on the surface. The lattice work, trees and sky are just the refection off the water.

[dsrtlzrd32]

Wow Apollo, your system looks nice, I like it. I will try to upload some photo's of my system tonight.

Thanks JCO, I appreciate the help. One question I had from one of your posts you said " If you are using filtration with a suction, the fry will be sucked up and lost when the female releases them. You must use some kind of air/foam filtration to keep from loosing the fry." Can you elaborate on that for me? Does that mean that with my pump (Patriot KP 2000) in my far 3rd IBC it will suck up the fry and shove them to the grow beds? What is an air/foam filtration? Sorry if I am missing the point, just wanting to try to get this right and I appreciate the advice from the experienced like yourself.