Tilapia
Oreochromis niloticus

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This tropical freshwater fish is easy to raise in large numbers in small tanks. This makes tilapia an ideal partner for plants on aquaponics farms.
Good to Know . . .

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In Canada, tilapia are raised in land-based tank systems that use recirculation technology. This system treats and filters dirty water before returning it to the fish tanks. The water is also heated to keep tilapia at a comfortable 24 °C.

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Tilapia are mouthbrooders: a female tilapia keeps her young inside her mouth until the baby fish are around 12 days old.

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Tilapia is one of the most popular fish farmed worldwide.
Farming tilapia isn’t new. The Ancient Egyptians farmed Nile tilapia thousands of years ago.

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Some species of tilapia live in brackish water. Brackish water has a higher concentration of salt than freshwater, but a lower concentration of salt than saltwater.

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Tilapia are omnivores, and on fish farms they are often fed algae or plants such as corn and soybeans.

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Tilapia grow quicker than many other types of fish. This makes them a popular choice for fish farmers, especially in warmer climates.