GIFT Tilapia production in Farm Ponds

Farmers Success Stories

GIFT Tilapia production in Farm Ponds

Introduction

Venukalidoss is a fish farmer from Marachery village doing fish culture for the past 10 years. He has 1 acre pondwhere he used to culture carps using the river water. He has little knowledge about fish culture and was doing thisas an allied farming activity in addition to paddy culture. Usually the ponds were stocked with fingerlings of IMC purchased from local fish farms without carrying out any prestocking management measures. The fishes were fed with farm made feeds including boiled rice based on the feed intake of fishes. After a culture period of 8–9 months due to the shortage of water supply fishes are harvested and marketed inThanjavur and Mannarkudi areas.

Problem identified

  • Fertilization of pond is not done properly.
  • Lack of awareness about GIFT tilapia culture in the village
  • Lack of awareness about importance of feeding in fish culture
  • Short duration of water availability in the village
  • Long duration of culture for carps
  • Prolific breeding behaviour of wild Tilapia fishes
  • Water quality parameters are not taken into consideration/not tested before stocking fishes for culture.
  • High stocking density of fishes

KVKs intervention

  • Fish farmer was identified first for implementing GIFT tilapia culture technologyin the village
  • Fish pond was identified for stocking GIFT tilapia fishes
  • Water quality parameters tested for suitability of water for culture
  • Bunds were not constructed properly and suggestions were given to make it clear
  • Advised to clear unwanted bushes and plants in the pond area
  • Advised to add fertilizer (cow dung) for natural phytoplankton production
  • GIFT tilapia of 1500 Nos were stocked in the area of 500m2 pond
  • Fishes were fed with commercial pellet feeds at 5% body weight for 3 months
  • After 3 months  it has reached an average body weight of 314g
  • The fishes reached the market size within three months

Output and outcome

  • An yield of around 376 kg were harvested from the culture
  • Fishes were marketed as live at the rate of Rs.100/kg
  • Gross income of Rs.37,680/- was achieved from the culture
  • High resistance to diseases compared to carps
  • Fish farmer is motivated to take up GIFT tilapia as next crop as this technology earns money in a short period of time with limited water availability
  • He also commented on the palatability of GIFT tilapia as this has good consumer preference
  • He also advised other fish farmers to take this technology as this has a suitability for our district