Everything about Tilapia totally explained
Tilapia is the
common name for nearly a hundred
species of
cichlid fishes from the
tilapiine cichlid tribe. Tilapias inhabit a variety of
fresh and, less commonly,
brackish water habitats from shallow streams and ponds through to rivers, lakes, and estuaries. Most tilapias are
omnivorous with a preference for soft aquatic vegetation and
detritus. They have historically been of major importance in
artisanal fishing in
Africa and the
Levant, and are of increasing importance in
aquaculture around the world (see
tilapia in aquaculture). Where tilapia have been deliberately or accidentally
introduced, they've frequently become problematic
invasive species (see
tilapia as exotic species).
Etymology
The common name tilapia is based on the name of the
cichlid genus Tilapia, which is itself a latinisation of
thiape, the
Tswana word for "fish". The genus name and term was first introduced by
Scottish zoologist Andrew Smith in 1840.
As they've been introduced globally for human consumption, tilapia often have specific names for them in various languages and dialects. Certain species of tilapia are sometimes called "St. Peter's fish." This term is taken from the account in the
Christian Bible about the apostle
Peter catching a fish that carried a
shekel coin in its mouth. According to the tale, the dark spots on the sides of the fish, a common pattern in many tilapiine cichlids, are the fingermarks of the saint. While that name is also applied to
Zeus faber, a marine fish not found in the area, one tilapia (
Sarotherodon galilaeus galilaeus) is known to be found in
Sea of Galilee where the account took place. This particular species is known to have been the target of small-scale
artisanal fisheries in the area for thousands of years.
In some
Asian countries including the
Philippines, large tilapia are often referred to as
pla-pla while their smaller brethren are still referred to as
tilapia.In
Hebrew, tilapia are called
amnoon (אמנון). In
Arabic, tilapia are called
bolty (بلطي ).
Aquaculture
Tilapia has become the third most important fish in
aquaculture after
carps and
salmonids, with production reaching 1,505,804 metric tons in 2002. Because of their large size, rapid growth, and palatability, a number of
tilapiine cichlids are at the focus of major
aquaculture efforts, specifically various species of
Oreochromis,
Sarotherodon, and
Tilapia, collectively known colloquially as
tilapias. Like other large
fish, they're a good source of
protein and a popular target for artisanal and commercial
fisheries. Originally, the majority of such fisheries were in Africa, but accidental and deliberate introductions of tilapia into freshwater lakes in Asia have led to outdoor aquaculturing projects in countries with a tropical climate such as Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and Indonesia.
(External Link
) In
temperate zone localities, tilapiine farming operations require energy to warm the water to the tropical temperatures these fish require. One method involves warming the water using waste heat from factories and
power stations.
Non-indigenous populations
Tilapia have been used as biological controls for certain aquatic plant problems. They prefer a floating aquatic plant,
duckweed (
Lemna sp.) but also consume some filamentous alga
(External Link). In
Kenya tilapia were introduced to
control mosquitoes which were causing
malaria. They consume
mosquito larvae, consequently reducing the numbers of adult female mosquitoes, the
vector of the disease (Petr 2000). These benefits are, however, frequently outweighed by the negative aspects of tilapia as invasive species. In Kenya the Tilapia found in Lake Victoria (Sango), is referred to as Ngege by the Luo. Its export to the European market has threatened its availability to the Luos who consider it a staple food.
Aquaria
The larger tilapias are generally not viewed as good community
aquarium fish because they eat plants and tend to be very disruptive, digging up the substrate and fighting with other fish. The smaller west African species, such as
Tilapia joka, and those species from the crater lakes of Cameroon are, by contrast, relatively popular. Conversely, in
cichlid aquariums tilapias can be mixed well with non-territorial cichlids,
armoured catfish,
tinfoil barbs,
garpike, and other robust but peaceful fish. Some species, including
Tilapia buttikoferi,
Tilapia rendalli,
Tilapia joka, and the
brackish-water
Sarotherodon melanotheron melanotheron, are attractively patterned and decorative fish.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Tilapia'.
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