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Tilapia - Fish Farming in the Philippines
Heh, an Aquatic Version of "Chicken" ... (But not "Chicken of the Sea")
Tilapia are some of the most farmed ("cultured") fish in the world--right up there with carp, catfish, trout, and salmon--and are considered the fifth most popular seafood eaten in the U.S.
During a trip to the Philippines a few years ago, I saw various methods of fish-farming--in particular, the methods used for raising and harvesting (and cooking!) these interesting fish. The up-close photos of these critters and their ponds here were taken during that trip at my wife's cousin's farm in Pampanga Province on Luzon Island.
Aquaculture is important in many countries, particularly in Asian countries such as the Philippines--the protein provides a needed addition to otherwise protein-limited meals.
This website provides some information and additional resources for those interested in aquaculture and tilapia in particular.
Get the Treatises on Fish Farming Technology So You Can Harvest Your Own Tasty Meals!
This excellent reference on Fish Farming Technology covers much of what you need to start and operate your own fish farm -- and tilapia being one of the fish that can be raised with the methods described in this book.
The book's 81 papers and abstracts from a fish farming technology conference cover the planning, set-up, and building of holding tanks and large ponds, the filtration systems, powered aeration systems, feeding systems, and harvesting techniques. Discussions of the needs of various fish types are also included.
Want to See These Fish Moving (and How They Are Farmed)? Check Out These Vids!
Read Up on Tilapia (and other) Aquaculture and Farming!
There are lots of references out there to help you build your own aquaculture or mariculture enterprise. I've compiled some of those I believe are useful in that endeavor. After working at a university marine laboratory and helping them to build some large-scale aquaculture/mariculture tanks and ponds, I've seen the capability of these structures.
But they are delicate in other ways. If you don't have the water filtered just right, or if you don't have the right food or feeding routine, the fish won't thrive. Also, you may find yourself with algae problems or predator problems. But the references provided here will steer you away from making mistakes if you study them and follow their advice!
Tilapia Farm Pond in Mabalacat, Pampanga, Philippines
"Aquatic Chicken"?
There's good reason to want to raise or farm tilapia--they have a fine-tasting, flakey meat; they are relatively easy to raise or farm; they are more robust and prolific than other species; and, they've been farmed and harvested for nearly 2,500 years (lots of experience out there raising these fish!).
I've worked as a research aide at a university marine laboratory where we tested various methods of aquaculture and mariculture.
As you can see from the photos here, the tilapia ponds shown are natural-looking (sort of dug out of rice paddies that may have been there before the ponds were lined and filled with water). Also, the tilapia farms shown in the lake of the Taal Volcano are enclosed in underwater cages to keep the fish contained.
When I worked at the marine lab, we built holding tanks that were perhaps 6 cinder-blocks wide by about 30 cinder-blocks long and 5 cinder-blocks high. These "tanks" were then painted on the inside with a quick-setting resin to make them more water-proof. Then, a recirculating, water-filtration system consisting of three plexiglas 40-gallon aquariums filled with gravel and carbon chunks was mounted on one end of each tank. Water was directed from a main source into the filtration systems before being allowed into the tanks. When the tanks finally filled within about a foot of the top -- where the recycle outlet for the water going back into the filtration system was -- the "fry" (juvenile fish) were added to the tank.
We would feed the fish some commercially-available pellets about once or twice a week, and over a period of a few months, we watched as the fish grew to their adult size. Of course, along the way, we'd sample some of the fish to measure them and check for their health to adjust their feedings and water quality.
For a small setup... for instance, in coordination with a hydroponics garden or similar venture, you could probably use tanks originally intended as a horse or cattle trough or as a water-storage tank.
With a little research through the resources provided here, you might have a fine way to grow some protein -- that doesn't make noise like chickens or cows, but is similarly tasty.
Another View of a Tilapia Farm Pond, Mabalacat, Pampanga, Philippines
Checking the Fish Size by Harvesting with a Net
More Resources for Further Information!
- American Tilapia Association
Lots of resources here for those into fish! Links to many other Tilapia-related and aquaculture related sites. Check them out!
Ready for Market - Caught in Net at Fish Farm Pond, Pampanga, Philippines
Yum! Grilled. With a Bit of Sauce and Garnish!
Want to See Tilapia Being Cooked? Check Out These Vids!
Another method for aquaculture -- fish pens in Lake Taal, as seen from Tagaytay City, Cavite Province, Philippines
Taal tilapia, packed in ice at a Seafood City supermarket, Tukwilla, Washington
So, How Do You Like YOURS Cooked?
How Do You Like Your Tilapia For Your Meal?
Copyright and Attribution Notice
NOTE: All photographic images in this website, with exception of those obviously in the Amazon, eBay, YouTube, and similar sections, were shot on my own camera by me and are thus mine. Likewise, the narrative is original and based on my experiences. Your mileage may vary.
© 2008 David Gardner
Drop a Note and Say "Hi"
Hi! i love tilapia! great lens
Er it is the Traditional fishing method, we can directly saw what we caught, I just want to try :)
Thank you for this very informative lens. The pictures told me more that make me inclined to eat tilapia. It looks like they give the fish enough room to grow right.
As someone who keeps and breeds tropical fish I have come across several of the various (about 100) species of Tilapia but I have never eaten one!
tilapia, grilled, wow super delicious.
Tilapia is not my favorite, I prefer fish that is wild and not farm raised.
Tilapia is one of my favorite fish - I love it broiled on low with lemon and butter. Had no idea how the little suckers were caught!
I love Tilapia fish, great info about this fish!
- Author
@Zienna1: Yes. My wife is from Mabalacat. Mayup a bengi po! Tilapia manyaman! (Masarap!) And those pictures of the fish were taken at her cousins' fish farm. (Ya can't get 'em any fresher than that! [the fish, that is!]). Thanks for dropping by my lens!
Great lens! So do you have any relations in the Philippines? Just asking cause I know there's a lot of filipinos in Guam. My great grand parents are from Mabalacat,Pampanga, that's as far as I know. Thanks for sharing this lens. Now, I'm really missing home.
Really enjoyed your lens - found it with a Squidoo search for "fishing".
Great lens.
Today is Friday ( no meat for us) so I grilled tilapia for dinner, yum....
Thanks for sharing this lens "Tilapia - Fish Farming in the Philippines"
great post! i eat talapia at least 3 times a week! good to know where my talapia comes from!
I enjoyed your cooking video here and maybe I will try to follow the instruction. it's awesome.
Hi! nice lens. :)
Nice story and great pics. Blessed.
Tilapias are tasty. I like mine grilled as you have on one of the pictures.
I love the way tilapia tastes
nice lens, it made me hungry
I am interested in aquaponics so reading about the tilapia was just what I was looking for. Raising the fish that fertilize the plants. A great concept!
i love Tilapia, and now i know many thing about Tilapia, thanks
Hi, jut dropped by to take a read, I did enjoy this lens. Thanks for sharing.
Terrific lens about my favorite fish Tilapia! My daughters love this local fish every time I cooked a dish for them. Congrats on your purple star! :)
Thoroughly enjoyed this lense. Learned so much about Tilapia
Great lens! Thanks for featuring the Philippines again.
Nice lens about Tilapia, it's my favourite fish ever!
Great page on tilapia, we support 'Food For The Poor' and creating tilapia farms is one of the many ways FFTP helps the destitute in the Caribbean to thrive and grow more self sufficient. Thanks for sharing.
Tilapia is one of my favorite fishes, especially fried Tilapia. This lens is very interesting. Thanks for sharing. Two thumbs up!
Hey, I am building an orphan's home in Tarlac! Great lens.
Hi. Congratulations on your very well deserved purple star. I'll be back to read more of your lenses.
hello dave, sorry for late reply. thanks for visiting my lenses. how did you learn tagalog? have u been to the philippines or are there plenty of filipinos in guam?
Very interesting to see how tilapia are farmed. This is one of my favorite fish (to eat). I love them pan fried with sauteed almonds or baked in a thai seasoning. Delicious!
In addition to being a very tasty dinner, tilapia are common in aquariums. They are extremely interesting in that they are mouthbrooders, the parents take the babies into their mouths when danger threatens.
Looks tempting, have to try it one day... thanks for this lens!
Hi po, congratulations on your purple star.
I love tilapia. It can be cooked in many different ways.
I had no idea there was so much work involved in tilapia farming. It's a new favorite fish of mine!
interesting read. your photos and vids are very informative. thanks for sharing.
Great lens. I lensrolled it to, and added a link from my lens on Philippines agricultural reform, https://hubpages.com/travel/philippines-ag-reform - you are now my authoritative source on "fish farming"!
interesting! Once i visited salmon farm on shetland islands, great experience
We used to joke about the fish jumping into our boat when we caught a stringer of walleye. Looks like Tilapia could do that. Fish farming has created quite an industry. I've never had Tilapia but I haven't met a fish I didn't like. Congratulations on your purple star!
I ate Tilapia a couple of time, it is pretty tasteless unless you dress it up. I think it is a good fish for those who don't like fish
Tilapia offers one of the best source of food.
I for one plan to try an aquaponics system with this fish.
Self-sufficiency will become more important
and Tilapia will play an even bigger role.
Tilapia is one of my favorite kinds of fish, as well as Salmon, Trout, and Yellow Striped Bass. Add it to one of Rachel Ray's recipes, and it becomes a meal fit for a King!
Cool lens..in fact I want to have a little tilapia pond on our farm just for our own use! Great info here thanks!
In a place located in the southern Philippines, fresh tilapia which are grown in lakes are cooked in different ways like adobo, fried, grilled, and pinaputukan.They even make a chicharong tilapia. This fish is one of my all-time favorite. Thanks for presenting this very informative lens.
Super lens about a great fish. I eat Tilapia daily when I'm in the Philippines - fresh from the lake just down the road. Grilled simply on a BBQ using charcoaled coconut shell, served up with calamansi (small limes) straight off the tree, and sometimes I press a tiny chili into soy sauce which is great for dipping the meat in. Gives an extra bite! I can easily live on this stuff. I even had filleted tilapia for my lunch today - I get it fresh-frozen from a fishmonger here in London. I grill it with olive oil and milk which makes an excellent fish sauce to pour over a side dish of asparagus. If I'm not eating Tilapia in the Phil I will be eating my all time favourite fish - boneless Bangus. I've been known to travel hours to get the best supply from Aliminos, Hundred Islands. 5*s well deserved.
I miss that tilapia grill. Wish I am eating it now. Very well presented lens.
Great lens!
Very well presented lens. I'm Filipino but I know nothing about tilapia farming. I do know a lot about tilapia-eating (; I learned a lot on here, thanks for sharing! *blessed by an angel*
gusto ko sana malaman kung pano ang paraan sa pagpapalaki ng tilapia! may binubuwisan kasi kme.. tnx..
In Malaysia, we prefer Red Tilapia. We are farming it in our grandmother's fish pond. You can even swim with them but be careful not to touch their fin. You'll get stung but its not so painful.
Right after Basa, we will eat Tilapia -- That is an amazing picture of "Tilapia Ready for Market - Caught in Net at Fish Farm Pond, Pampanga, Philippines" -- quite a few fish in that net. We've fished in a fish farm in the Carolinas, but brought the fish in one at a time. Have you tried Basa yet? I'd be curious to hear your opinion.
What a great catch! The Grilled Tilapia photos is deliciously tempting.. Great job as always. You have an eye for all things and amazing how you turn it into a fantastic Squidoo lens. Definitely, a fab five! I lensrolled you my other related lens.
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