Cage culture grows tilapia in net cages set in rivers, reservoirs or large ponds, where natural water flow supplies oxygen and carries waste away. PC Farm Thailand's grower's handbook recommends 50–80 fish per m³ for cages in flowing water. PC Farm Thailand (Farm Story Co., Ltd.) supplies sex-reversed Giant Black and Giant Red fingerlings to cage farms and field-tests its breeding lines in cage systems.
· PC Farm Thailand (Farm Story Co., Ltd.) · Chachoengsao, Thailand
At a glance
| System | Net cages set in rivers, reservoirs or large ponds |
|---|---|
| Recommended density | 50–80 fish per m³ for cages in flowing water, grow-out to about 500–600 g (handbook value) |
| Oxygen | Relies on natural water flow through the net |
| Water exchange | Natural — the site does the work, so site choice matters most |
| Management level | Moderate |
| Fingerling size | Conditioned to order — ask for fingerlings sized so they cannot pass through your net mesh |
| Feeding | By fish weight, the same schedule as ponds — see the feeding table |
| Strains | Sex-reversed (all-male) Giant Black and Giant Red from PC Farm Thailand |
| Breeding validation | PC Farm field-tests its breeding lines in cage culture systems as well as earthen ponds |
Figures marked as handbook values are reference ranges from PC Farm's grower's handbook for Giant Black & Red tilapia under good conditions in Thailand. They are planning targets, not guarantees — adjust to your own sampling and water readings.
Ask about fingerlings for cagesSite
In a cage the water body does the work of aerators and water exchange, so the site decides most of the result.
Flow through the net brings oxygen and carries waste away. It replaces the aerators and water exchange a pond needs.
Aim for the same targets as any tilapia system: dissolved oxygen above 4 mg/L, pH 6.5–8.5 and temperature of 28–32 °C for best growth.
Leave open water beneath and around the cage so waste disperses instead of building up under the fish.
Cages need feeding and checking every day. Choose a site you can reach in all weather for feeding, grading and harvest.
Management
Order fingerlings large enough that they cannot pass through the net. We condition sizes to order, so tell us your mesh size.
Float the transport bags in the cage water for 15–20 minutes, then release in the early morning or evening.
Scatter a little at a time until the fish slow down, then stop. Uneaten feed is lost through the net and wastes money.
Weigh 30 fish, recalculate the feed amount and sort big from small to reduce feed competition.
Fouled nets block the water flow the fish depend on for oxygen. Check and clean them as part of the routine.
Cut back or skip feeding when oxygen is low at dawn, the weather shifts or it rains heavily.
Risks
Act at once if fish gulp at the surface, stop eating, swim sluggishly or show sores: stop feeding and check oxygen and water quality.
When the flow drops, oxygen falls quickly at cage densities. Fish gulping at the surface at dawn is the warning sign.
Heavy rain and seasonal changes can shift water quality fast. Reduce feeding and watch the fish closely during unstable weather.
Parasites such as Trichodina and bacterial disease take hold when fish are stressed. Health-screened, uniform fingerlings give a stronger start.
Evidence
PC Farm's selective-breeding program field-tests each generation in three settings — our Nucleus Breeding Center, earthen ponds and cage culture systems — for 3–4 months, recording survival, growth and body shape before choosing broodstock. Fish are therefore selected to perform in cages as well as ponds.
Our published growth data is from earthen ponds: our growth data page shows 0.65 g to 1,000 g in 4.5 months at a feed conversion ratio of 1.2. We have not published cage data. Cage results depend strongly on water flow and water quality at the site, so ask us for references from cage customers near you.
Good to know
PC Farm's grower's handbook recommends 50–80 fish per m³ for cages in flowing water, for grow-out to about 500–600 g. Use the lower end where water flow is weak, because cages rely on flow for oxygen.
Stock fingerlings large enough that they cannot pass through your net mesh. PC Farm conditions fry and fingerlings to order rather than selling fixed sizes, so tell us your mesh size and we will confirm what is available.
Giant Black is our hardy, fast-growing Nile tilapia and the workhorse strain for pond, cage and RAS farms. Giant Red has vivid colour and a clean body shape and suits premium, live-fish and export markets. Both are supplied sex-reversed (all-male).
Feed by fish weight, as in ponds: 8–10% of body weight per day for 1–5 g fish, falling step by step to 1.5–2.5% for 400–600 g fish. Recalculate after each sample weighing every 2 weeks and feed by observation.
Our published growth data is from earthen ponds: 0.65 g to 1,000 g in 4.5 months at FCR 1.2. Cage results depend strongly on water flow and water quality at the site. Contact us for references from cage customers.
Yes. PC Farm Thailand supplies fry and fingerlings for pond, cage and RAS farms across Thailand, and exports by air to more than 20 countries.
Tell us your cage volume, mesh size and site — we'll advise on fingerling size and confirm availability and a quote in THB or USD.