BRIN Develops Incubator to Speed up Nile Tilapia Seed Production

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The National Innovation and Research Agency (BRIN) has developed a tubular incubator for Nile tilapia eggs that uses entirely locally sourced materials. The innovation was designed to reduce dependence on imported components, so regional fish farmers can adopt modern hatching technology at far lower cost.

“This incubator shortens the time female broodstock must incubate eggs. With this device, Nile tilapia eggs can hatch in less than seven days. That accelerates the gonad maturation cycle and subsequent spawning of the broodstock,” said a researcher at BRIN’s Applied Zoology Research Center, Mohamad Soleh, in a statement in Jakarta on Wednesday, 15 July 2026.

Soleh said boosting fry productivity is an important step to support expansion of Nile tilapia farming, which has strong market prospects. Growing demand for tilapia must be matched by increased seed production.

He explained the species’ unique spawning behavior, in which the male builds and guards a nest on the pond bottom, the female releases eggs for fertilization, then the female picks up and incubates the fertilized eggs in her mouth for an extended period until they hatch.

That reproductive characteristic underpins the development of artificial hatching technology to improve seed production efficiency. According to Soleh, advantages of the tubular incubator include the ability to hold eggs in large numbers, high hatch rates, more uniform larval size, easier harvesting, practical operation, efficiency, and optimal control of hatching media conditions.

“The success of this egg-incubation technology still depends on the breeder’s precision. Accurate selection of fertilized eggs, identified by a yellowish-brown color, is a key factor in achieving high hatchability. High hatch rates and uniform larval size will be crucial to boosting national seed productivity,” said Soleh, as quoted by Antara.

He also highlighted the need to use all-male fry for aquaculture. Male-only seed is expected to increase production yields and improve profitability.

Production of male fry is carried out by periodically applying high-temperature shocks (thermal shock) from the moment larvae hatch until they can swim. After that phase, the fry are reared until they reach sizes suitable for stocking in grow-out ponds.

Soleh noted that tilapia farming is supported by abundant potential pond area, established culture technologies, readily available seed, and the species’ tolerance of fluctuating water quality.

In addition, the harvest cycle is relatively short, about 4–6 months, business risk ranges from low to moderate, and the sector can be developed from small-scale to industrial operations.

“Tilapia farming is competitive compared with other fish commodities such as gourami, carp, tawes, and nilem. Selling prices can reach IDR 30,000 (USD 1,66) per kilogram, market demand is open, and profits can reach 20–40 percent, so this business is promising. Its relatively short production cycle also helps speed up capital turnover,” said Mohamad Soleh. ***