Tilapia fishes, which we are taking care.. earlier, we sorted them into female group and male group, BUT..!! One reason could be, obviously, we are not yet expert in differentiating gender in tilapia.. quite easy to do that indeed, if the fishes get bigger.. Therefore, an unexpected pregnancy occurred!
Story begun.. well, found her (the mother fish) was a little strange, one day (This Monday) but I didn’t notice yet, until Wednesday, I wasn’t sure it was the same fish but same unusual behavior.. depressed and autism-like mood, staring at a corner of the tank and the interesting thing was.. when I put in food, she refused to eat!? ..because fishes are really big eater! I was planning to shift her to a lower stress tank, and let her join in the children fishes, so that she get back her confident and self-esteem. Something like ‘socio-psycho-therapy’. Hoho.. The adult fish tanks are battlefield! I don’t know why they have to fight with their same species?? SEE! ..the moment I picked her up with net.. BABIES!! All the baby fishes came out from her month. You know, tilapia mother fish is moothbrooder. She collects babies in her mooth for few weeks, for protecting her babies from other big fishes in nature and providing food. ..she will release the babies when time come. GREAT mother!
Then?? Err.. I put them (mother with babies) into a new tank for the monthbrooding period. Luckily, babies were found earlier before being eaten up by other fishes but unfortunate one would be that, the process caused some death (babies). Well.. talking about the mother fish, she was just past her puberty, I guess, according to her size. Err.. shouldn’t be called under-age pregnancy, although the mother was too young.. surely it is an accidental one! ..in fish?? However, it should be volunteered one, because tilapia fish female is very choosy in finding mate. Haha, she has to look for a secure, ambitious, and gentlemen, what, like we, human do. NOW, who is the male?? Who is the one that responsible for?? ..still a question in our laboratory!
