There are more than 80 species in the Tilapiini tribe and they are divided into three genera: Oreochromis, Sarotherodon and Tilapia. All fish are collectively known as Tilapia. Other common names for this fish are Saint Peter’s fish, Freshwater Snapper, Mojara and Ngege.
The Tilapia is native to the rivers, lakes, swamps and streams of Africa and Madagascar. Due to its popularity as a food fish, farms have been set up in many countries with China, the Philippines, Taiwan, Indonesia and Thailand being the largest suppliers. Tilapia cannot tolerate cold water so it is rarely farmed in temperate climates unless the water is heated.
Due to its hardiness and adaptability, some species of Tilapia have adjusted to salt water and can be found in tidal bays. In addition to being hardy, the Tilapia is a prolific breeder and fast growing. This is why Tilapia has become one of the leading species in aquaculture.
In the United States, Australia, and South Africa, wildlife authorities consider Tilapia to be an invasive species. This fish is on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) list of 100 of the World's Worst Alien Invasive Species.
Keeping Tilapia in a Freshwater Aquarium
The ideal water temperature in the aquarium should be between 74°F and 84°F. On the PH scale, the level should range from 7 to 8. For water hardness, the DH reading should fall between 15 and 20.
For decoration, the aquarium needs rockery in order to build caves to serve as hiding places and spawning areas. Driftwood can also help provide hiding places. The fish also need to have a clear area in the tank for free swimming. Plants are not recommended because the Tilapia is known to eat plants and dig up the gravel at the bottom of the aquarium.
The Tilapia is known to eat all types of food, such as flake, pellet, and freeze-dried. In its natural habitat, it feeds on plants, so it needs to have vegetables included in its diet. There are vegetable flakes available at pet food stores, plus lettuce or zucchini can be floated in the tank.
Not all Tilapia species make good aquarium fish. Some of the larger species fight with other fish. The most popular fish for the aquarium are Tilapia Joka (known as Clown Tilapia), Zebra Buttkoferi (Zebra Tilapia), Tilapia Mariae (Spotted Tilapia), and Tilapia Rendalli (RedbreastTilapia). For a brackish water aquarium, the Sarotherodon is a good choice.
In the aquarium, the Tilapia may be kept with catfish, barbs, Jewel Cichlid, and Haplochromis.
Breeding Tilapia in the Freshwater Aquarium
The Tilapia is one of the easiest fish to breed. The female is a mouth brooder and is capable of having 500 to 700 fry hatch in a single spawn. Newly hatched fry can be fed baby brine shrimp and switched to finely ground flake food in approximately seven days. The babies reach adult size in ten months.
The mother should be moved to a separate aquarium for recovery. While the mother has eggs in her mouth, she won’t eat. Female Tilapia can die of starvation due to constantly being pregnant.
Although Tilapia is generally known as a food fish, some of the smaller and less aggressive species are ideal for aquariums because of their colors and hardiness.
Douglas DuHamel - I have been in the tropical fish/aquarium hobby for the past 47 years. Over the years, I have bred over 300 species of tropical fish ...
