Redbreast tilapia

📖 Overview

Adults prefer quiet, well-vegetated water along river littorals or backwaters, floodplains and swamps. They are tolerant of a wide range of temperatures (8-41°C) and salinities . They form schools; is mainly diurnal. Juveniles feed on plankton ; adults feed on leaves and stems of underwater plants as well as algae, and vegetative detritus , insects and crustaceans. A substrate spawner; male and female form pairs to rear the young; eggs and larvae are usually guarded in a steep-side circular pit dug in the mud . Occasionally it spawns in large cave-like structures , e.g. in Lake Malawi they are reported to dig a network of tunnels at some sites . Make excellent eating . Widely exploited in fisheries and aquaculture .

🔬 Taxonomy

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 15 - 17; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 13; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 9 - 10; Vertebrae: 29. Diagnosis: A large, deep-bodied species with a steep head profile, narrow head and small mouth; often appearing brownish with a white belly, some individuals have bright red bellies . The sexes look very similar, although males are usually larger . Very difficult to distinguish from Coptodon zillii, but C. rendalli usually have a steeper head profile and less prominent vertical bars; in East Africa, the tailfin of C. rendalli is often divided into a brownish upper part and yellowish lower part, whereas that of C. zillii is uniform and spotted . : fusiform / normal; Cross section: compressed.

🌀 Behaviour

C. rendalli mainly lives near river banks, in oxbow lakes, and swamps. It prefers densely vegetated areas and still waters with small amounts of current. The species has a high temperature tolerance (8 – 41 °C) and also withstands brackish water with a salt content of up to 1.9%. The young fish live on plankton; adults, like all members of the genus Coptodon, are primarily herbivores and eat algae and taller plants, as well as insects and smaller crustaceans.

🦐 Diet

Diet information for Redbreast tilapia is currently being compiled.

🥚 Reproduction

Prefers a sloping spawning ground near the marginal fringe of vegetation . Builds nest in shallow water where both parents guard the eggs and young.

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Freshwater; brackish; benthopelagic; non-migratory ; depth range 3 - 8 m . Tropical; 24°C - 28°C ; 20°N - 20°S

🌿 Ecology

📐 Morphometrics

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

🍽️ Edibility & Flavour

"Redbreast tilapia is an edible species."

⚡ Nutrition

Detailed nutritional data for Redbreast tilapia is currently being compiled from USDA FoodData Central.

🔬 Mercury Safety

Mercury data for Redbreast tilapia has not yet been assigned. Please consult FDA/EPA guidance for general seafood safety advice.

🌿 Sustainability

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

Scientific Synonyms

🐠 Related Species

🔍 Similar Species

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 507 records indexed .

👥 Community & Contribute