The Redbelly tilapia (Tilapia zillii) is a freshwater fish of the family Cichlidae that grows to about 40 cm (16 in). It is easy to keep and semi-aggressive, is best kept in a species tank and needs a tank of at least 475 L (125 US gal), water at 11–36°C (52–97°F) and a pH of 6.0–9.0. Native range: Africa, Eurasia, Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d?Ivoire, Egypt, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Israel, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, West Sahara.
Redbelly tilapia care at a glance
- Care level
- Easy
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Community tank
- Not suitable
- Adult size
- 40 cm (16 in)
- Minimum tank
- 475 L (125 US gal)
- Temperature
- 11–36°C (52–97°F)
- pH
- 6.0–9.0
- Hardness
- 5–20 dGH (89–357 ppm)
- Diet
- Omnivore. Accepts flakes, frozen foods and live foods.
Biology
Occasionally form schools; mainly diurnal. Prefer shallow, vegetated areas. Fry are common in marginal vegetation and juveniles are found in the seasonal floodplain. Herbivorous, feed on water plants and epiphyton, and some invertebrates. Substrate spawner. Larvae develop in close association with substrate. Extended temperature range 6.5 - 42.5 ?C, natural temperature range 10.5 - 36?C.
Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.
Species facts
- Scientific name
- Tilapia zillii
- Family
- Cichlidae (Cichlids)
- Order
- Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
- Class
- Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
- Maximum length
- 40.0
- Common length
- 30.0
- Depth range
- 1–7 m (3–23 ft)
- Environment
- Freshwater; brackish;; pH range: 6.0 - 9.0; dH range: 5 - 20 benthopelagic; potamodromous; depth range 1 - 7 m
- Climate
- Tropical
- Distribution
- Africa and Eurasia: South Morocco, Sahara, Niger-Benue system, rivers Senegal, Sassandra, Bandama, Boubo, M?, Como?, Bia, Ogun and Oshun, Volta system, Chad-Shari system, middle Congo River basin in the Ubangi, Uele, Ituri and Itimbiri (Democratic Republic of the Congo), Lakes Albert and Turkana, Nile system and the Jordan system. Several countries report adverse ecological impact after introduction.
- Conservation status (IUCN)
- Not Evaluated
- Threat to humans
- Potential pest
- Uses
- Fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: commercial; aquarium: commercial
- Resilience
- Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.2-0.5; tm=2-3; tmax=7; Fec = 715 - 1,147)
Sources
Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Aquarium care parameters compiled, checked and converted to metric and imperial units by Guppies.za.net.
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