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TILAPIA POND MANAGEMENT TIPS
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Fence and cover your pond with a net properly before stocking. This prevents predators from
entering into your ponds. Fish protection dictates level of your pond production. Predator
prevention is mandatory in Fish farming. Uncontrolled predation can result in NIL
YIELDS. Fence also prevents human accidents and injuries. A striking warning sign will
deter children from swimming or playing near the pond thus preventing unpleasant incidents.
Maintain good water quality to ensure suitable environment. Good water quality leads to fast
growth of your fish. This is the best way to control and prevent fish diseases and mortalities.
Prevention is always better and cheaper than cure. Good water quality results in healthy, tasty
and marketable fish. Always have a reliable and permanent water source. Good
water quality is achieved by doing the following:
1. Screening any water entering your ponds to get rid of unwanted aquatic organisms,
weeds, predators, debris etc
2. Using water from unpolluted sources only. Avoid water contaminated with sewage,
industrial effluents, agricultural and veterinary chemicals and other harmful
chemicals etc. You must at least know water quality of your water source or history
of your water source.
3. Do not over fertilize your ponds. Excess organic matter spoils water quality and that
is contamination. This can easily kill your fish.
4. Do not overfeed your fish. Excess feeds sink to pond bottom and pollutes the water.
Excessive feeding is a major cause of fish mortality in aquaculture.
5. Ensure occasional water exchange/aeration if you detect any water quality
deterioration. Always have a reliable and permanent supply of quality
water.
 Feed your fish adequately and consistently twice a day. Fish feeding governs the size and the
total fish yields. Do not underfeed or over feed. Give 3% bodyweight but this should be
adjusted as fish grow. Feed at specific location and time. Feed at 10.00 am and at 4.00 pm.
Observe fish behaviour when feeding. Overfeeding spoils water quality and can result in fish
mortality. Stop feeding if fish do not respond to feeds. Starvation will greatly reduce growth
rate leading to stunted and small fish. Check quality and quantity of feed. Consult your local
fisheries extension officer for more information on feeding.
MONTHS
1st & 2nd
3rd
4Th & 5th
6th, 7th and 8th
Over 8 months
FEEDING SCHEDULE
FEEDS
DAILY RATION FOR 1000
REQUIRED
FISH
PER FISH
1 gm
1kg (in powder or mashed form)
2gms
2kg
3gms
3kg
4gms
4kg
5gms
5kg
When the pond is invariably
fertilized (half the ration)
0.5kg ( in powder or mashed form)
1kg
1.5kg
2kg
2.5kg
NB: Broadcast feeds towards the winds direction.
 Apply fertilizers before stocking only at the recommended rates using appropriate application
methods. Over fertilization kills fish. The manure must not be contaminated with chemicals.
Ensure your pond is grass green. Planktons are the major source of food for tilapia fish
resulting in fast growth and good harvest. Unfertilized semi intensive tilapia ponds are not
productive. They become infested with frogs and weeds. They are also prone to serious
predation.( Consult your local fisheries extension officer for more information on pond
fertilization)
TYPE
MANURE
OF
AMOUNT
PER 300M2
FERTILIZER APPLICATION RATE.
APPLICATION
APPLICATION METHOD
FREQUENCY
comments
/FERTILIZER
ORGANIC
Chicken,
duck,
pig,
cattle,
compost or any
other
organic
matter
INORGANIC
D.A.P
UREA
POND
15 kg
0.5KG
1KG
This is repeated only when
green colour begins to
become pale / when the
water starts to become
clear
-Bag method
-Crib method
-Direct
NB:
Bag
recommended
new farmers.
This is repeated only when
green colour begins to
become pale / when the
water starts to become
clear
Dissolve both D.A.P and UREA
in a plastic container and
sprinkle the solution over the
water at different points
method
especially
is
for
Use one
application
only, either
organic or
inorganic.
Do not
apply both
treatments
at the same
time
 Ensure your ponds invariably have sufficient water levels, minimum of 1m water depth.
Any water depth less than this leads to low water quality and overcrowding of fish eventually
causing stress and diseases. Your ponds should be impervious. Leaky ponds lose a lot of
nutrients and, therefore, they are less productive. Always have sufficient, standby, water
supply, to compensate any water losses through excessive seepage, leakage or evaporation.
This also ensures dilution effect in case of any unexpected contamination. Very shallow
ponds promote weeds, diseases and predation. Shallow ponds cause stress to fish.
 No weeds should be allowed in the ponds . Weeds encourage predators. Weeds also consume
nutrients meant for plankton growth. Aquatic weeds also prevent penetration of sunlight,
thus, lowering productivity.
 Always observe behaviour and physical/external conditions of your fish. Excessive gasping or
piping is an indication of oxygen deficit. This is however permissible in the morning hours
when oxygen levels are very low. This is countered by water exchange or aeration. Body
Lesions, frayed and ragged fins should not be ignored. Fish are naturally active and timid and
any deviation from this should arouse concern. Also observe water and weather.
 Keep proper pond records on size of the pond, stocking, feeding, pond fertilization and any
other measure taken to manage or improve your pond. Record any occurrence like mortality
or predation/ local predators etc. Record keeping is a summary of all the activities and
occurrences related to your pond/s.
Your fish should be ready for harvesting after 8 months but this highly depends on your
management practices. Do not harvest your fish before you arrange for the market. This prevents
post-harvest losses.
PREVENT DISEASES, FLOODS, ESCAPING, POACHING AND PREDATION
Feel free to visit / call Kiambu county fisheries office, 0722600880, for any fisheries related
queries. Or contact your local sub county fisheries office.
MAIN CONSIDERATIONS WHEN STARTING FISH FARMING
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Water quality and quantity
Land size, terrain and type of soil
Climate of the area