Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Spawning Temps and Time

Thanks and that is good GENERAL INFO. Much of the info depends on location. For example most of those species are reproductively mature at 1 year or less in the South while in the North it may take 3 years. Keep in mind that fish adapt to conditions in order to survive as a species in that environment so much depends on the weather and water conditions.

It looks like some of that info came from EFish.

This is a good place to gather the info for transfer to the archivers. Here is some more.

Threadfin shad spawn starting at 67 to 70 ºF (19 to 21 ºC) and broadcast adhesive eggs over vegetation and woody debris. Prolific spawners, shad mature in less than 1 year and produce large quantities of eggs. The length of the spawning season is variable and spawning can occur over a broad temperature range. Threadfin begin spawning when water temperatures reach 65° to 70° F with peak spawning occurring at 75° F. Spawning has been documented from April to mid-September. Early fall spawners are typically fry that were hatched during spring spawning. Spawning mortality of adults maybe responsible for the short (1 to 2 years) life span. Spawning occurs along the shoreline on submerged vegetation. Spawning habitat such as broken hay bales (6- inch layers) or Spanish moss mats should be provided. Spawning activity usually occurs around daylight. Several fish farmers have successfully transported the eggs (attached to the spawning surface) to clean fertilized ponds for grow-out purposes. The fertilized eggs normally hatch in 3 to 5 days at 70° to 80° F.

Tilapia is the generic name of a group of cichlids endemic to Africa. The group consists of three aquaculturally important genera Ð Oreochromis, Sarotherodon and Tilapia. Several characteristics distinguish these three genera, but possibly the most critical relates to reproductive behavior. All tilapia species are nest builders; fertilized eggs are guarded in the nest by a brood parent. Species of both Sarotherodon and Oreochromis are mouth brooders; eggs are fertilized in the nest but parents immediately pick up the eggs in their mouths and hold them through incubation and for several days after hatching. In Oreochromis species only females practice mouth brooding, while in Sarotherodon species either the male or both male and female are mouth brooders. The number of eggs that can be reared (typically 300 to 1,200 per clutch) is limited by the size of the female’s mouth. Thus, although they spawn frequently, relatively few offspring are produced at one time. Reproduction is best at water temperatures higher than 80o F and does not occur below 68o F. In subtropical regions with a cool season, the number of fry produced will decrease when daily water temperature averages less than 75o F. After 16- to 20- day spawning cycles with 1/2-pound Nile tilapia, fry recovery was about 600 fry per female brooder at a water temperature of 82o F, but only 250 fry per female at 75o F. Optimal water temperature for tilapia growth is about 85 to 88o F. Growth at this optimal temperature is typically three times greater than at 72o F. Sexual maturity in tilapia is a function of age, size and environmental conditions. The Mozambique tilapia reaches sexual maturity at a smaller size and younger age than the Nile and Blue tilapias. Tilapia populations in large lakes mature at a later age and larger size than the same species raised in small farm ponds. For example, the Nile tilapia matures at about 10 to 12 months and 3/4 to 1 pound (350 to 500 grams) in several East African lakes. Under good growth conditions this same species will reach sexual maturity in farm ponds at an age of 5 to 6 months and 5 to 7 ounces (150 to 200 grams). When growth is slow, sexual maturity in Nile tilapia is delayed a month or two but stunted fish may spawn at a weight of less than 1 ounce (20 grams). Under good growing conditions in ponds, the Mozambique tilapia may reach sexual maturity in as little as 3 months of age, when they seldom weigh more than 2 to 4 ounces (60 to 100 grams). In poorly fertilized ponds sexually mature Mozambique tilapia may be as small as 1/2 ounce (15 grams).