Scientific Name
Tilapia rendalli

Common Name
Redbreast tilapia

Biology
Prefer quiet, well-vegetated water along river littorals or backwaters, floodplains and swamps. Tolerant of a wide range of temperature (8-41?C) (Ref. 3) and salinity to 19 ppt (Ref. 7248). Form schools; is mainly diurnal. Juveniles feed on plankton. Adults feed mainly on higher plants and also algae, insects and crustaceans. Make excellent eating (Ref. 5214).

Classification

Classified By

Boulenger, 1897

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Cichlids (Cichlidae)

Distribution

Region

Africa

Distribution

Africa: Kasai drainage (middle Congo River basin), throughout upper Congo River drainage, Lake Tanganyika, Lake Malawi, Zambesi, coastal areas from Zambesi Delta to Natal, Okavango and Cunene (Ref. 5163). Also in the Limpopo (Ref. 55074). Introduced elsewhere usually for weed control and aquaculture. Several countries report adverse ecological impact after introduction.

Range

20°N - 20°S

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

24 °C

Water Temperature To

28 °C

Depth From - meters

3 m

Depth To - meters

8 m

Zone

benthopelagic

Environment

Freshwater; brackish; benthopelagic; depth range 3 - 8 m (Ref. 58302)

Trophic Level

2.18 s.e. 0.21 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

False

Occurs in Brackish water

True

Occurs in Fresh Water

True

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

True

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

45.0 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: commercial; gamefish: yes; aquarium: commercial

Vulnerability

Low to moderate vulnerability (27 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.13-0.18; tmax=7)

Threat To Humans

Potential pest

IUCN Red List Status

Least Concern (LC)