Learning How To Breed...

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red devil

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Jan 7, 2003
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In a couple of years I hope to start breeding and raising Tilapia on my little farm. I am not in a position now or next year to deal with such a large fish - I will be an apartment dweller. Is there another member of the cichlid family that similar breeding habits that I can practice on/with? I have raised fish for many years, but never bred them with intent - some of them did that all by themselves :p
 

fishorama

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I've never kept tilapia but I imagine they are bred similar to other cichlids, just big. Not too difficult. According to google there are several species & maybe genera, considered "tilapia" now. I remember seeing them 30-40 years ago but more as a large pet fish not a food fish. I don't know what species they were.

What is your goal with keeping them? Food? Pets? An apartment will severely effect your options...& I've never considered eating them or any other aquaria fish I'd want to keep, although many are food in some places.
 

red devil

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Thanks! My immediate goal is simply to learn how to efficiently breed fish. They will be used in my apartment as pets. In a couple of years, when I leave China, I will be raising them for food.
 

fishorama

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Then maybe you should start with other cichlids just to see how it works breeding them if you haven't tried any. We bred kribensis, blue acaras & firemouths back in the day (a long time ago). All were easy & similar in behavior. So were apistogrammas. Are any of those easy to find...& sell, in China? I'm in the US & have no idea what you may have available...

You may just want to google search "tilapia breeding" to get a better idea of what you will eventually need after you move. Like I said, they get big! But I don't know how fast that may happen.
 
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