Anyone with interest , current or future , should read the following link (aquaculture link). Fascinating basic stuff.
For example "... 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 all Oreochromis species the male
excavates a nest in the pond bottom
(generally in water shallower than 3
feet) and mates with several females.
After a short mating ritual the
female spawns in the nest (about
two to four eggs per gram of brood
female), the male fertilizes the eggs,
and
she then holds and incubates the
eggs in her mouth (buccal cavity)
until they hatch. Fry remain in the
female’s mouth through yolk sac
absorption and often seek refuge in
her mouth for several days after they
begin to feed..
This increases tilapia survival enormously through the first days -( a survival adaptation) .
"Under good growth conditions,
1-gram fish are cultured in nursery
ponds to 1 to 2 ounces (20 to 40
grams) in 5 to 8 weeks and then
restocked into growout ponds. In
monosex growout ponds
under
good temperature regimes, males
generally reach a weight of 1/2
pound (200 + grams) in 3 to 4
months, 1 pound (400 + grams) in
5 to 6 months,"
https://srac.tamu.edu/fact-sheets/serve/53