Nile perch (Lates niloticus)

Scientific name: Lates niloticus Linnaeus, 1758

The Nile perch (Lates niloticus) is a freshwater fish of the family Latidae.

Biology

Inhabits channels, lakes and irrigation canals. Adults inhabit deep water, while juveniles are found in shallow water. Feeds on fish especially clupeids and Alestes; smaller fish also feed on larger crustaceans and insects. Juveniles are planktivorous. Threatened due to over harvesting. No length type given but assumed to be in TL.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Lates niloticus
Family: Latidae (Lates perches)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 200
Common length: 100.0
Depth range: 10–60 m (33–197 ft)
Environment: Freshwater; demersal; potamodromous; depth range 10 - 60 m
Climate: Tropical
Distribution: Africa: Widespread throughout the Ethiopian Region of Africa, occurring commonly in all major river basins including the Nile, Chad, Senegal, Volta and Congo. Present in the brackish waters of Lake Mariout, near Alexandria. Exists in Lakes Albert, Rudolph and Tana. Several countries report adverse ecological impact after introduction.
Conservation status (IUCN): Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans: Potential pest
Uses: Fisheries: highly commercial; aquaculture: commercial; gamefish: yes
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.17-0.19; tm=2-3)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Last updated 27 September 2026