Complete Rules and Methods of Feeding Small Tilapia Fish

The business of cultivating tilapia seeds or small tilapia is just as lucrative as the business of cultivating tilapia enlargement. In fact, the harvest time for small tilapia cultivation is much shorter than for adult tilapia. Generally, tilapia enlargement cultivation takes up to 6 months to harvest, while seed cultivation only takes approximately 2 months.

Another reason why the business of cultivating tilapia seeds is quite tempting is because the demand for tilapia continues to increase every year. In line with the increasing growth in the number of tilapia cultivators, the demand for fish seeds is also increasing.

Even though it is tempting, there are still important things that you need to consider carefully when starting tilapia seed cultivation. One of them is the selection of tilapia food that is still small. There are rules for selecting and feeding small tilapia so that tilapia can grow and be ready for harvest at the right time.

Types of Small Tilapia Feed

To maintain and care for tilapia seeds, you need to pay attention to several things such as stocking density and type of feed. Ideally the stocking density for tilapia seeds is between 50 and 200 individuals/m2. The size of the newly hatched fish seeds or larvae ranges from 0.5-0.7 cm with an estimated age of 7 days.

Meanwhile, in terms of feed for small tilapia, the most important thing is to provide food that contains high protein. The example is Daphnia sp., Rotifera sp., And Moina sp. which belongs to the zooplankton family. The following is the nutritional needs of tilapia during the enlargement process.

• Protein: 28-50%
• Carbs: 10-20%
• Fats & oils: 5-12%
• Vitamins: 0.5-1%
• Minerals: 0.25-0.5%

Then the type of food for tilapia that is still small that you can choose from, is as follows:

• Silkworm
• Plankton and phytoplankton
• Artemia
• Water fleas
• Moss
• Bran
• Azolla plant

Apart from natural food, you can also provide pellets in the form of powder or granules with a size of 0.2-0.5 mm. The duration of feeding the tilapia seeds is 4-5 times a day with a dose of 1 teaspoon for powder pellets.

Whatever feed you give to tilapia fry, the most important thing is to maintain the quality of the feed itself. Quality feed has the right nutritional content so that it not only increases body weight, but can also increase the appetite of small tilapia.

How to Feed Small Tilapia Fish According to Age

The ideal time to feed small tilapia is in the morning, afternoon and evening, while the amount of feed given is around 3% of the total fish weight. The right way to feed small tilapia is to give it according to their age, because different ages have different nutritional needs. Here's a full explanation.

1. Tilapia Larvae

Tilapia fish that have just hatched are called larvae. Give the tilapia larvae food with a size between 0.5-0.7 cm and high protein content. Feed for tilapia larvae that contain high protein include Daphnia sp., Moina sp., and Rotifera sp..

2. Small Tilapia Fish 10 Days Old

When entering the age of 10 days, the larvae will grow to have a body length of 1.5 cm. His name is no longer a larva but a white tilapia. Even though there are differences in name and size, the diet for whitefish is still the same as for tilapia larvae.

3. Small Tilapia Fish 20 Days Old

Tilapia seeds that enter the age of 20 days have the same treatment as the white tilapia larvae and fish. The mention is also still the same, namely the white tilapia. However, when it reaches the age of 20 days, it starts to grow in length, up to 2.5 cm. Therefore, you need to move the fish to the nursery pond and pay attention to the stocking density of the fish.

4. Small Tilapia Fish 25 Days Old

Gabar is the name for tilapia that has entered the age of 25 days. In general, the body of the fish will increase in length to 2.8 cm in size with an increase in height of 0.8 cm. Barbarian tilapia requires feed containing protein of 20-30%.

You can provide feed in the form of powder pellets with the required protein provisions. Give feed 2-3 times a day. In addition, pay attention to the stocking density. Ideally, the stocking density of tilapia aged 25 days is 30-50 fish/m2.

5. 30 Days Old Tilapia

Entering the age of 30 days, the length of tilapia increases to 3 cm with a height of 1 cm. The food for tilapia which is still small, aged 30 days, is F-999/PF-1000 powder pellets.

6. 35 Days Old Tilapia

Tilapia fry aged 35 days will have a body length of 4-4.5 cm. The feed is still the same as the 30-day-old tilapia, namely powder pellets.

7. 40 Days Old Tilapia

Tilapia aged 40 days is still referred to as tilapia gabar. However, its size can reach 5 cm. Stocking density for tilapia aged 40 days is 30-50 fish/m2. The feed for tilapia aged 40 days is still the same. You can provide feed in the form of F-999/PF-1000 powder pellets.

8. 45 Days Old Tilapia

Bejo is the designation of tilapia seeds that enter the age of 45 days. When tilapia seeds enter the age of 45 days, their body length can reach 5.5-6 cm. 

To help the growth and development of tilapia fry, you can provide feed containing protein of 20-30% 2-3 times a day, with an amount of feed of 3% of the total fish weight. The type of feed that you can give is F-999/PF-1000 pellet feed. 

When tilapia enters the age between 45-70 days, its size can reach 8 cm. Therefore, pay attention to the stocking density of tilapia ponds.

9. 100 Days Old Small Tilapia

The last phase of how to feed small tilapia is when the tilapia reaches the age of 100 days. You can transfer 100 day old tilapia to a cultivation pond or tilapia rearing pond. Because when entering the age of 100 days, the length has reached 8-12 cm. This length is equivalent to the length of an adult tilapia. In addition, the feed treatment is the same as for adult tilapia.