View source for Tilapia

{{Short description|Common name for many species of fish}}
{{About|the common name for many species of fish|the genus|Tilapia (genus)}}

{{multiple image
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|image1            = Oreochromis-niloticus-Nairobi.JPG
|alt1              = 
|caption1          = [[Oreochromis niloticus|Nile tilapia]], ''Oreochromis niloticus''
|image2            = Tilapia production time series.png
|alt2              =
|caption2          = Global harvest of tilapia in million tonnes as reported by the [[FAO]], 1950–2009<ref>[http://faostat.fao.org/site/629/default.aspx Fisheries and Aquaculture Department Statistics] UN Food and Agriculture Department</ref>
}}
{{common fish}}

'''Tilapia''' ({{IPAc-en|t|ᵻ|ˈ|l|ɑː|p|i|ə}} {{respell|tih|LAH|pee|ə}}) is the [[common name#Biological common names|common name]] for nearly a hundred [[species]] of [[cichlid]] fish from the [[Coelotilapia joka|coelotilapine]], [[coptodon]]ine, [[Heterotilapia|heterotilapine]], [[Oreochromini|oreochromine]], [[Pelmatolapia|pelmatolapiine]], and [[Tilapiine cichlid|tilapiine]] [[tribe (biology)|tribes]] (formerly all were "Tilapiini"), with the economically most important species placed in the Coptodonini and Oreochromini.<ref name=Dunz2013>{{cite journal | author1 = Andreas R.Dunz | author2 = Ulrich K.Schliewen | name-list-style = amp | year = 2013 | title = Molecular phylogeny and revised classification of the haplotilapiine cichlid fishes formerly referred to as ''Tilapia'' | journal = Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution | volume = 68 | issue = 1 | pages = 64–80 | doi = 10.1016/j.ympev.2013.03.015| pmid = 23542002 }}</ref> Tilapia are mainly freshwater fish native to Africa and the Middle East, inhabiting shallow streams, ponds, rivers, and lakes, and less commonly found living in [[brackish water]].{{cn|date=May 2025}} Historically, they have been of major importance in [[artisanal fishing]] in Africa, and they are of increasing [[aquaculture of tilapia|importance in aquaculture]] and [[aquaponics]]. Tilapia can become a problematic [[invasive species]] in new warm-water habitats such as Australia,<ref name="daff">{{cite web|url=http://www.daff.qld.gov.au/fisheries/pest-fish/noxious-fish/tilapia|title=Tilapia|date=January 2013 |publisher=Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry}}</ref> whether deliberately or accidentally [[introduced species|introduced]], but generally not in temperate climates due to their inability to survive in cold water.

Traditionally a popular and affordable food in the Philippines with a mild taste, tilapia has been the fourth-most consumed fish in the United States since 2002, favored for its low cost and easy preparation. It is commonly fried or broiled as part of a dish.

== Etymology ==
The common name "tilapia" is based on the name of the [[cichlid]] [[genus]] ''[[Tilapia (genus)|Tilapia]]'', which is itself a [[Latinisation of names|latinization]] of either ''tlhapi'', the [[Tswana language|Tswana]] word for 'fish',<ref name="Thiape">{{cite web |last=Chapman |first=Frank A. |title=Culture of Hybrid Tilapia: A Reference Profile |work=Circular 1051 |publisher =University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences |date=July 1992 |url=http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FA012 |access-date=2007-08-17}}</ref> or the Greek word ''tilon'', referring to a fish mentioned by [[Aristotle]], combined with ''apios'', meaning 'distant'.<ref name="Etymonline">{{cite web |title=Tilapia |work=Online Etymology Dictionary |url=https://www.etymonline.com/word/tilapia |access-date=2024-07-18}}</ref> Scottish zoologist [[Andrew Smith (zoologist)|Andrew Smith]] named the genus in 1840.<ref name="FishBaseTilapia">{{cite web |title=Genera Summary: Tilapia |work=Catalog of Fish – W. N. Eschmeyer; California Academy of Sciences |publisher=[[FishBase]] |date=June 2007 |url=http://www.fishbase.org/Eschmeyer/GeneraSummary.cfm?ID=Tilapia |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001027073726/http://www.fishbase.org/Eschmeyer/GeneraSummary.cfm?ID=Tilapia |archive-date=2000-10-27 |access-date=2007-08-17 }}</ref>

== History ==
[[File:Tomb of Nakht (10).jpg|thumb|The [[Tomb of Nakht]], from 1500 BC, contains a tilapia hieroglyph just above and to the right of the head of the central tall figure.]]

The aquaculture of [[Nile tilapia]] dates from [[Ancient Egypt]], where it was represented by the [[Egyptian hieroglyphs|hieroglyph K1]], of the [[Gardiner's Sign List|Gardiner list]]: 𓆛.

The fish [[symbol]]ized [[Reincarnation|rebirth]] in [[Egyptian art]], and was associated in Egyptian belief-systems with [[Hathor]], goddess of fertility and abundance.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Robins |first1=Gay |title=Women in Ancient Egypt |date=1993 |publisher=Harvard University Press |isbn=978-0-674-95469-4 |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Women_in_Ancient_Egypt/UTSA88SVHCMC |access-date=9 September 2025}}</ref>
The tilapia was also said to accompany and protect the sun god on his daily journey across the sky.<ref>
{{cite book
 |last1                = Robins
 |first1               = Gay
 |author-link1         = Gay Robins
 |year                 = 1993
 |chapter              = Images of women in literature and art
 |title                = Women in Ancient Egypt
 |url                  = https://books.google.com/books?id=UTSA88SVHCMC
 |publication-place    = Cambridge, Massachusetts
 |publisher            = Harvard University Press
 |page                 = 188
 |isbn                 = 978-0-674-95469-4
 |access-date          = 10 October 2024
 |quote                = The tilapia also has mythological connections, since it is said to accompany and protect the sun god on his daily journey. The possession of the tilapia by the tomb owner recalls part of spell 15 of the ''Book of the Dead'' by which the deceased hopes to take his place in the sun bark: 'You see the tilapia in its (true) form at the turquoise pool', and 'I behold the tilapia in its (true) nature guiding the speedy boat in its waters.
}} 
</ref>

Tilapia were one of the three main types of fish caught in Talmudic times from the [[Sea of Galilee]], specifically the [[Mango tilapia#Israel|Galilean comb]] (''Sarotherodon galilaeus''). It is sometimes known by the name "St. Peter's fish", which comes from the narrative in the [[Gospel of Matthew]] about the apostle [[Saint Peter|Peter]] catching a fish that [[Coin in the fish's mouth|carried a coin in its mouth]]. Though the passage does not name the fish, several tilapia species are found in the Sea of Galilee, where the narrative recounts the event that took place. These species have been the target of small-scale [[Artisan fishing|artisanal fisheries]] in the area for thousands of years.<ref name="Baker1988">{{cite book |last=Baker |first=Jenny |title=Simply Fish |publisher=Faber & Faber |year=1988 |location=London |page=197 |isbn=0-571-14966-9}}</ref><ref name="Cincy Post Rosencrans">{{cite news |first=Joyce |last=Rosencrans |title=Tilapia is a farmed fish of biblical fame |newspaper=[[The Cincinnati Post]] |publisher=[[E. W. Scripps Company]] |date=2003-07-16 |url=http://www.cincypost.com/2003/07/16/tilap071603.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060218163036/http://www.cincypost.com/2003/07/16/tilap071603.html |archive-date=2006-02-18 |access-date=2012-09-15}}</ref>

== Characteristics ==
[[File:ChromisNiloticus.jpg|thumb|[[Nile tilapia]] (''Oreochromis niloticus'')]]
<!-- [[File:Tilapia cabrae flipped.jpg|thumb|{{center|''Tilapia cabrae''}}]] -->

Tilapia typically have laterally compressed, deep bodies. Like other cichlids, their lower [[pharyngeal teeth|pharyngeal bones]] are fused into a single tooth-bearing structure. A complex set of muscles allows the upper and lower pharyngeal bones to be used as a second set of jaws for processing food (cf. [[moray eel#Anatomy|morays]]), allowing a division of labor between the "true jaws" ([[mandibles]]) and the "[[pharyngeal jaws]]". This means they are efficient feeders that can capture and process a wide variety of food items.<ref name="Loiselle">{{cite book|last = Loiselle |first = P.V.| year = 1994| title = The Cichlid Aquarium | publisher = Tetra Press| isbn = 1-56465-146-0}}</ref> Their mouths are [[Fish jaw|protrusible]], usually bordered with wide and often swollen lips. The jaws have conical teeth. Typically, tilapia have a long dorsal fin, and a [[lateral line]] that often breaks towards the end of the dorsal fin, and starts again two or three rows of scales below. Some Nile tilapia can grow as long as {{convert|2|ft|cm|-1|order=flip}}.<ref name="animals.mom.me">{{Cite news|url=http://animals.mom.me/origin-tilapia-fish-8325.html|title=What Is the Origin of Tilapia Fish?|access-date=2017-02-01}}</ref>

Other than their temperature sensitivity, tilapia exist in or can adapt to a very wide range of conditions. An extreme example is the [[Salton Sea]], where tilapia introduced when the water was merely brackish now live in salt concentrations so high that other marine fish cannot survive.<ref>Science and the CSU<br />[http://blogs.calstate.edu/science/?p=1632 The Salton Sea: Fishing for Answers] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140422231751/http://blogs.calstate.edu/science/?p=1632 |date=2014-04-22 }}<br />A half-century later, a few species of fish have been hearty enough to survive. One of them is the tilapia and its key to the survival of the Salton's ecosystem, which includes millions of birds that depend on them for food...<br /><br />"The salinity level of the Salton Sea is about 45 parts per thousand (ppt), which is about 30% saltier than the ocean"</ref>

Tilapia are also known to be mouth-brooding species, which means they carry the fertilized eggs and young fish in their mouths for several days after the yolk sac is absorbed.<ref name="animals.mom.me" />

== Species ==
Historically, all tilapia have been included in their namesake genus ''[[Tilapia (genus)|Tilapia]]''.<ref name=Dunz2013 /> In recent decades, some were moved into a few other genera, notably ''[[Oreochromis]]'',<ref name="ITISOreo">{{ITIS | ID = 170014 | taxon = Oreochromis| date = 16 August 2007}}</ref> and ''[[Sarotherodon]]''.<ref name="ITISSaro">{{ITIS | ID = 553244 | taxon = Sarotherodon| date = 16 August 2007}}</ref> Even with this modification, apparently ''Tilapia'' was strongly [[Polyphyletic|poly–]] or [[paraphyletic]].<ref name="Nagl2001">{{cite journal | last =Nagl | first =Sandra |author2=Herbet Tichy |author3=Werner E. Mayer |author4=Irene E. Samonte |author5=Brendan J. McAndrew |author6=Jan Klein | title =Classification and Phylogenetic Relationships of African Tilapiine Fishes Inferred from Mitochondrial DNA Sequences | journal =Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution | volume =20 | issue =3 | pages =361–374 | year =2001 | doi =10.1006/mpev.2001.0979 | pmid=11527464| bibcode =2001MolPE..20..361N }}</ref> In 2013, a major [[taxonomy (biology)|taxonomic]] review resolved this by moving most former ''Tilapia'' spp. to several other genera. As a consequence, none of the species that are of major economic importance remain in ''Tilapia'', but are instead placed in ''[[Coptodon]]'', ''Oreochormis'', and ''Sarotherodon''.<ref name=Dunz2013 />

=== Exotic and invasive species ===
{{See also|Tilapia as exotic species}}

Tilapia have been used as biological controls for certain aquatic plant problems. They have a preference for a floating aquatic plant, [[duckweed]] (''Lemna'' spp.), but also consume some filamentous algae.<ref>{{cite web |author=John W. Cross |url=http://www.mobot.org/jwcross/duckweed/weed_control.htm |title=Aquatic Weed Control |publisher=Mobot.org |date=2013-08-13 |access-date=2013-09-14 |archive-date=2012-09-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120921081544/http://www.mobot.org/jwcross/duckweed/weed_control.htm }}</ref> In [[Kenya]], tilapia were introduced to [[Mosquito control|control mosquitoes]], which were causing [[malaria]], because they consume [[mosquito]] larvae, consequently reducing the numbers of adult female mosquitoes, the [[Vector (epidemiology)|vector]] of the disease.<ref name=Petr2000 /> These benefits are, however, frequently outweighed by the negative aspects of tilapia as an invasive species.<ref>{{cite web|title=Oreochromis aureus|url=http://www.issg.org/database/species/ecology.asp?si=1323|access-date=25 April 2015}}</ref>

Tilapia are unable to survive in temperate climates because they require warm water. The pure strain of the blue tilapia, ''[[Oreochromis aureus]]'', has the greatest cold tolerance and dies at {{convert|45|F|C|order=flip}}, while all other species of tilapia die at a range of  {{convert|52|to|62|F|C|order=flip}}. As a result, they cannot invade temperate habitats and disrupt native ecologies in temperate zones; however, they have spread widely beyond their points of introduction in many fresh and brackish tropical and subtropical habitats, often disrupting native species significantly.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gisp.org/casestudies/showcasestudy.asp?id=78&MyMenuItem=casestudies&worldmap=&country=|title=Global Invasive Species Programme, Invasive Species Information, Tilapia|access-date=2012-09-15}}</ref> Because of this, tilapia are on the [[IUCN]]'s 100 of the World's Worst Alien Invasive Species list.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.issg.org/worst100_species.html|publisher=[[IUCN Species Survival Commission]]|work=Invasive Species Specialist Group|title=100 of the World's Worst Alien Invasive Species|access-date=2012-09-15}}</ref> In the United States, tilapia are found in much of the south, especially [[Florida]] and [[Texas]], and as far north as Idaho, where they survive in power-plant discharge zones.<ref>{{cite web|title=NAS – Nonindigenous Aquatic Species|url=https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/factsheet.aspx?SpeciesID=463|publisher=USGS|access-date=10 June 2014}}</ref> Tilapia are also currently stocked in the [[Phoenix, Arizona]], canal system as an algal growth-control measure. In a Washington, D.C. fishing report from 21 June 2024, it was reported that an angler caught a tilapia on a [[crankbait]] at the Jones Point Park under the [[Woodrow Wilson Bridge]],<ref>{{cite news |title=District Fishing Report |url=https://doee.dc.gov/service/district-fishing-reports |agency=DOEE |issue=21 June 2024}}</ref> which is on the [[Potomac River]]. Many state fish and wildlife agencies in the United States, Australia, South Africa, and elsewhere consider them to be [[invasive species]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.issg.org/database/species/management_info.asp?si=131&fr=1&sts=&lang=EN|publisher=[[IUCN Species Survival Commission]]|work=Global Invasive Species Database|title=Oreochromis mossambicus (fish)|access-date=2012-09-15}}</ref>

=== Aquarium species ===
Larger tilapia species are generally poor community [[aquarium]] fish because they eat plants, dig up the bottom, and fight with other fish. The larger species are often raised <!-- in aquariums --> as a food source, though, because they grow rapidly and tolerate high stocking densities and poor water quality.

Smaller West African species, such as ''[[Coelotilapia joka]]'' and species from the crater lakes of [[Cameroon]], are more popular as aquarium fish. In specialised cichlid aquaria, tilapia can be mixed successfully with nonterritorial cichlids, [[Callichthyidae|armored catfish]], [[tinfoil barb]]s, [[garpike]], and other robust fish. Some species, including ''[[Heterotilapia buttikoferi]]'', ''[[Coptodon rendalli]]'', ''[[Pelmatolapia mariae]]'', ''C. joka'', and the brackish-water ''[[Sarotherodon melanotheron]]'', have attractive patterns and are quite decorative.<ref name="AC2008">{{cite web |url=http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/tilapia/aquariums.php|title=Keeping Tilapia in Aquariums |year=2008 |work=Tilapia |publisher=AC Tropical Fish |access-date=2009-01-19}}</ref>

=== Commercial species ===
Tilapia were originally farmed in their native Africa and [[Levant]]. Fast-growing, tolerant of stocking density, and adaptable, tilapia have been introduced to and are farmed extensively in many parts of Asia and are increasingly common [[aquaculture]] targets elsewhere.

{| class="wikitable collapsible"
|-
!colspan="11"| Principal commercial tilapia species
|-
!Common name
!Scientific name
!Maximum<br />length
!Common<br />length
!Maximum<br />weight
!Maximum<br />age
![[Trophic level|Trophic<br />level]]
![[FishBase|Fish<br />Base]]
![[FAO]]
![[WoRMS]]
![[IUCN]] status
|-
|[[Nile tilapia]]
|''Oreochromis niloticus'' <small>(Linnaeus, 1758)</small>
|style="text-align:right;"| 60&nbsp;cm
|style="text-align:right;"|  cm
|style="text-align:right;"| 4.324&nbsp;kg
|style="text-align:right;"| 9 years
|style="text-align:center;"| 2.0
|style="text-align:center;"| <ref>{{FishBase | genus = Oreochromis | species = niloticus | month = September | year = 2012}}</ref>
|style="text-align:center;"| <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/3217/en |title=''Oreochromis niloticus'' Linnaeus, 1758) |work=Species Fact Sheet |publisher=[[Food and Agriculture Organization]] of the United Nations|access-date=2012-09-15 }}</ref><ref name=FAONileTilapia />
|style="text-align:center;"| <ref>{{cite WoRMS |title=''Oreochromis niloticus'' |id=293639 |access-date=2012-09-15 }}</ref>
|style="text-align:center;"| [[File:LC IUCN 3 1.svg|NT IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Least Concern<ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021">{{cite iucn|title=''Oreochromis niloticus''|article-number=e.T166975A134879289|author=Diallo, I.|date=2020|volume=2020|access-date=19 November 2021|author2=Snoeks, J.|author3=Freyhof, J.|author4=Geelhand, D.|author5=Hughes, A.|doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T166975A134879289.en}}</ref></small>
|-
|style="background:#eef;"| [[Blue tilapia]]
|style="background:#eef;"| {{spaces|4}}- ''Oreochromis aureus''<br /> {{spaces|6}}<small>(Steindachner, 1864)</small>
|style="background:#eef; text-align:right;"| 45.7&nbsp;cm
|style="background:#eef; text-align:right;"| 16&nbsp;cm
|style="background:#eef; text-align:right;"| 2.010&nbsp;kg
|style="background:#eef; text-align:right;"|  years
|style="background:#eef; text-align:center;"| 2.1
|style="background:#eef; text-align:center;"| <ref>{{FishBase | genus = Oreochromis | species = aureus | month = September | year = 2012}}</ref>
|style="background:#eef; text-align:center;"|
|style="background:#eef; text-align:center;"| <ref>{{cite WoRMS |title= ''Oreochromis aureus'' |id=279196 |access-date= August 12, 2017}}</ref>
|style="text-align:center;"| [[File:LC IUCN 3 1.svg|NT IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Least Concern<ref name="iucn">{{cite iucn|title=''Oreochromis aureus''|article-number=e.T166933A6293372|author1=Awaïss, A.|year=2010|volume=2010|access-date=4 February 2019|author2=Azeroual, A.|author3=Lalèyè, P.|name-list-style=amp|url=https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/166933/6293372}}</ref></small>
|-
|colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| Nile tilapia + blue tilapia hybrid
|style="text-align:right;"| cm
|style="text-align:right;"| cm
|style="text-align:right;"| kg
|style="text-align:right;"| years
|style="text-align:center;"|
|style="background:#eee;" colspan="4"|
|-
|[[Mozambique tilapia]]
|''Oreochromis mossambicus'' <small>(Peters, 1852)</small>
|style="text-align:right;"| 39&nbsp;cm
|style="text-align:right;"| 35&nbsp;cm
|style="text-align:right;"| 1.130&nbsp;kg
|style="text-align:right;"| 11 years
|style="text-align:center;"| 2.0
|style="text-align:center;"| <ref>{{FishBase |genus=Oreochromis |species=mossambicus |month=September |year=2012}}</ref>
|style="text-align:center;"| <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/2408/en |title=''Oreochromis mossambicus'' (Peters, 1852) |work=Species Fact Sheet |publisher=[[Food and Agriculture Organization]] of the United Nations |access-date=August 12, 2017}}</ref>
|style="text-align:center;"| <ref>{{cite WoRMS |title=''Oreochromis mossambicus'' (Peters, 1852) |id=218777 |access-date=August 12, 2017 }}</ref>
| [[File:VU IUCN 3 1.svg|NT IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Vulnerable</small><ref name="IUCNgladius2">{{cite iucn |author=Bills, R. |date=2019 |title=''Oreochromis mossambicus'' |volume=2019 |article-number=e.T63338A174782954 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T63338A174782954.en |access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref>
|}

==== Aquaculture ====
{{Main|Aquaculture of tilapia}}
[[File:Rednile2jf.JPG|thumb|Red nile tilapia under experimentation in [[CLSU]], Philippines]]
{{multiple image
|align             = right
|caption_align     = center
|direction         = vertical
|width             = 300
|header            = Global harvest of tilapia species in million tonnes as reported by the [[FAO]], 1950–2009 <ref name="faostat" />
|header_align      = center
|header_background = 
|footer            = 
|footer_align      = 
|footer_background = 
|background color  = 
|image1            = Tilapia wild capture time series.png
|alt1              = 
|caption1          = ↑&nbsp;Wild capture
|image2            = Tilapia aquaculture time series.png
|alt2              = 
|caption2          = ↑&nbsp;Aquaculture production
}}

Farmed tilapia production in 2002 worldwide was about {{convert|1.5|e6t|e6ST|abbr=off}} annually, with an estimated value of US$1.8 billion,<ref>{{cite web|author1=De Silva, S.S |author2=Subasinghe, R.P. |author3=Bartley, D.M. |author4=Lowther, A. |title=Tilapias as Alien Aquatics in Asia and the Pacific: A Review |publisher=FAO Fisheries Technical Paper – No. 453 |year=2004 |url=http://www.fao.org/documents/show_cdr.asp?url_file=/docrep/007/y5728e/y5728e00.HTM |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080217052013/http://www.fao.org/docrep/007/y5728e/y5728e00.htm |archive-date=17 February 2008}}</ref> about equal to those of [[salmon]] and [[trout]].

Unlike carnivorous fish, tilapia can feed on [[algae]] or any plant-based food. This reduces the cost of tilapia farming, reduces fishing pressure on prey species, avoids concentrating toxins that accumulate at higher levels of the [[food chain]], and makes tilapia the preferred "aquatic chickens" of the trade.<ref name="Barlow2000">{{cite book |last=Barlow |first=G. W. |year=2000 |title=The Cichlid Fishes |location=Cambridge, MA |publisher=Perseus Publishing |isbn=0-7382-0376-9 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/cichlidfishesnat00geor_0 }}</ref>

Because of their large size, rapid growth, and palatability, tilapia cichlids are the focus of major farming efforts, specifically various species of ''Oreochromis'', ''Sarotherodon'', and ''Coptodon'' (all were formerly in the namesake genus ''Tilapia'').<ref name=Dunz2013 /> Like other large fish, they are a good source of [[protein]] and popular among artisanal and commercial [[fishery|fisheries]]. Most such fisheries were originally found in Africa, but outdoor fish farms in tropical countries, such as [[Papua New Guinea]], the [[Philippines]], and [[Indonesia]], are underway in freshwater lakes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fao.org/documents/show_cdr.asp?url_file=/docrep/007/y5728e/y5728e05.htm |title=Title unknown |publisher=[[Food and Agriculture Organization]] of the United Nations |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060517151932/http://www.fao.org/documents/show_cdr.asp?url_file=%2Fdocrep%2F007%2Fy5728e%2Fy5728e05.htm |archive-date=May 17, 2006 }}</ref> In [[temperate zone]] localities, tilapiine farming operations require energy to warm the water to tropical temperatures. One method uses [[waste heat]] from factories and power stations.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.auri.org/news/ainjul98/tilapia.htm |title=GO FISH, Egyptian Style |work=Ag Innovation News |publisher=Agricultural Utilization Research Institute |access-date=2008-04-27 |archive-date=2008-07-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080730045855/http://www.auri.org/news/ainjul98/tilapia.htm }}</ref>{{failed verification |date=September 2012}}

At 1.3 million tonnes per annum, China is the largest tilapia producer in the world, followed by Egypt with 0.5 million.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eco-business.com/news/2010/oct/28/finding-more-fish-between-egypt-and-vietnam/ |title=Finding more fish, between Egypt and Vietnam |date=28 October 2010 |publisher=eco-business.com |access-date=2012-09-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101112190054/http://www.eco-business.com/news/2010/oct/28/finding-more-fish-between-egypt-and-vietnam/ |archive-date=12 November 2010 }}</ref> The US, by comparison, produces 10 thousand tonnes against a consumption of 2.5 million.<ref name="faostat">Based on data from the [http://faostat.fao.org/site/629/default.aspx FishStat database]</ref>

In modern [[aquaculture]], [[wild-type]] Nile tilapia are not too often seen, as the dark color of their flesh is not much desired by many customers, and because it has a bit of a reputation of being a [[rough fish]] associated with poverty.<ref name="miami">{{cite web |url=http://www.miami-aquaculture.com/tilapia.htm |title=Tilapia Aquaculture |publisher=Miami Aqua-culture, Inc. |access-date=2012-09-15}}</ref> However, they are fast-growing and give good [[Fish fillet|fillets]]; [[leucistic]] ("red") breeds which have lighter meat have been developed and are very popular.

[[Hybrid (biology)|Hybrid]] stock is also used in aquaculture; Nile × blue tilapia hybrids are usually rather dark, but a light-colored hybrid breed known as "Rocky Mountain White" tilapia is often grown due to its very light flesh and tolerance of low temperatures.<ref name="miami" />

Commercially grown tilapia are almost exclusively male, typically done by adding male [[sex hormone]] in the food to the tilapia [[Juvenile fish|fry]], causing any potential female tilapia to change sex to male.<ref name=FAONileTilapia>{{cite web | author1=Nico, L.G. | author2=P.J. Schofield | author3=M.E. Neilson | year=2019 | title=Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758) | url=http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Oreochromis_niloticus/en | publisher=Food and Agriculture Organization, United Nations | access-date=5 November 2019 }}</ref><ref name=Wan2019>{{cite journal | author1=Wan, Z.Y. | author2=G. Lin | author3=G. Yue | year=2019 | title=Genes for sexual body size dimorphism in hybrid tilapia (Oreochromis sp. x Oreochromis mossambicus) | journal=Aquaculture and Fisheries | volume=4 | issue=6 | pages=231–238 | doi=10.1016/j.aaf.2019.05.003 | doi-access=free | bibcode=2019AqFis...4..231W | hdl=10356/142831 | hdl-access=free }}</ref> It can also be achieved through [[Hybrid (biology)|hybridization]] of certain tilapia species or the use of so-called "supermales" that have [[homozygous]] male sex chromosomes (resulting in all their offspring receiving a male sex chromosome and thus becoming males).<ref name=Wan2019 /><ref name=Baroiller2009>{{cite journal | author1=Baroiller, J.F. | author2=H. D'Cotta | author3=E. Bezault | author4=S. Wessels | author5=G. Hoerstgen-Schwark | year=2009 | title=Tilapia sex determination: Where temperature and genetics meet | journal=Comp Biochem Physiol A | volume=153 | issue=1 | pages=30–38 | doi=10.1016/j.cbpa.2008.11.018 | pmid=19101647 | url=http://agritrop.cirad.fr/548992/ | url-access=subscription }}</ref> Males are preferred because they grow much faster than females.<ref name=FAONileTilapia /> Additionally, because tilapia are prolific breeders, the presence of female tilapia results in rapidly increasing populations of small fish, rather than a stable population of harvest-size animals.<ref name="MyTilapia">{{cite web |url=http://www.mytilapia.com/tilapia_fact.aspx |title=Fact about Tilapia Fish (''Oreochromis ''spp.) |access-date=2012-09-15}}</ref>{{unreliable source? |date=September 2012}}

Tilapia, as a "traditional" dish, was first introduced in the [[Philippines]] in 1950 with [[Mozambique tilapia]] followed by [[Nile tilapia]] in 1972 from Thailand. Strains such as [[terapon]] (gunggong) and [[Neogobius pallasi|white goby]] ([[Tank goby|biyang puti]]) were abundant in [[Laguna de Bay]]. In 1988, [[WorldFish]], Filipino and Norwegian researchers started [[Aquaculture of tilapia|aquaculture]] of the [[Genetically modified food|Genetically Improved]] Farmed Tilapia (GIFT).<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lasco  |first1=Gideon |title=Tilapia, a history|url= https://opinion.inquirer.net/175686/tilapia-a-history|access-date=August 5, 2024 |publisher= [[The Philippine Star]]|date=August 2, 2024}}</ref>

Other methods of tilapia population control are [[polyculture]], with predators farmed alongside tilapia or hybridization with other species.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Multivariate methods in aquaculture research: case studies of Tilapias in experimental and commercial systems |date=1993 |publisher=International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management ([[ICLARM]]); Agricultural Research Organization; Bundesministerium für Wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung |isbn=978-971-10-2285-3 |editor-last=Prein |editor-first=M. |series=ICLARM contribution |location=Manila, Philippines : Bet Dagan, Israel : Bonn, Federal Republic of Germany |editor-last2=Hulata |editor-first2=Gideon |editor-last3=Pauly |editor-first3=D. |editor-last4=International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management}}</ref>

== As food ==
[[File:Tilapiajf.JPG|thumb|[[Escabeche]] fresh tilapia]]

[[File:Blackened tilapia with Cajun spices, lemon and lime juice.jpg |alt=Blackened tilapia with Cajun spices, lemon and lime juice|thumb|Blackened tilapia filets seasoned with Cajun spices, lemon & lime juice]]

From ancient times, the tilapia has been a source of food. Art items dating from the late 18th Dynasty, circa 1350 BCE, contain evidence of the importance of tilapia in Egypt. The Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is endemic to the area and was grown in closed ponds along the Nile River.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.electrummagazine.com/2012/09/ancient-egyptian-tilapia-fish-story/ | title=Ancient Egyptian Tilapia Fish Story – Electrum Magazine | date=29 September 2012 }}</ref>

Tilapia, introduced to the state of [[Tamil Nadu]], India, in the 1950s as a cheap protein source, quickly spread across the state's freshwater bodies because of its ability to thrive in polluted, low-oxygen environments.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/chennai-launches-urgent-culling-of-invasive-tilapia-to-revitalize-adyar-creek/articleshow/114351674.cms|title=Chennai Agency Culls African-Origin Fish to Save Adyar Creek|work=The Times of India |date=October 18, 2024|via=The Economic Times - The Times of India}}</ref>

The [[Fisheries Research Committee]] has recommended the culture of this fish only in areas in the western slopes of the [[Western Ghats]] and the coastal strip between [[Cape Comorin]] and south of, and excluding river [[Tapti]], and in districts of [[Tinnevelly]], [[Madurai]] and [[Ramnad]] in [[Madras]] south of and including river [[Vaigai]]. The committee has suggested further investigation to enable it to examine the question of the desirability of Tilapia culture in other parts of India.<ref>{{Cite web| title=Written Answers | date=1955-09-27 | url=https://eparlib.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/1078148/1/01_X_27-09-1955_p32_p32_s2261.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241226055956/https://eparlib.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/1078148/1/01_X_27-09-1955_p32_p32_s2261.pdf | archive-date=2024-12-26}}</ref>

Whole tilapia fish can be processed into skinless, boneless fillets. In some of the commercial strains, the yield has been reported up to 47% at harvest weight.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Ødegård |first1=Jørgen |last2=Alvarez |first2=Alejandro Tola |last3=Vera |first3=Mayet de |last4=Skaarud |first4=Anders |last5=Joshi |first5=Rajesh |date=2019-08-05 |title=Genomic prediction for commercial traits using univariate and multivariate approaches in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) |url=https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/725143v1 |journal=bioRxiv |article-number=725143 |doi=10.1101/725143 |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Gjøen |first1=H. M. |last2=T. H. E. Meuwissen |last3=Woolliams |first3=J. A. |last4=Joshi |first4=R. |date=May 2018 |title=Maternal, dominance and additive genetic effects in Nile tilapia; influence on growth, fillet yield and body size traits |journal=Heredity |volume=120 |issue=5 |pages=452–462 |doi=10.1038/s41437-017-0046-x |issn=1365-2540 |pmc=5889400 |pmid=29335620|bibcode=2018Hered.120..452J }}</ref>

Tilapia are among the commercially important aquaculture species that are susceptible to [[off-flavors]] (others include trout, [[barramundi]], and [[channel catfish]]). These 'muddy' or 'musty' flavors are normally caused by [[geosmin]] and [[2-methylisoborneol]], organic products of ubiquitous [[cyanobacteria]] that are often present or bloom sporadically in water bodies and soil. These flavors are no indication of the freshness or safety of the fish, but they make the product unattractive to consumers. Simple quality-control procedures are known to be effective in ensuring the quality of fish entering the market.<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.1016/j.aquaculture.2006.05.058 |title=Off flavor characterization and origin in French trout farming |journal=Aquaculture |volume=260 |issue=1–4 |pages=128–138 |year=2006 |last1=Robin |first1=Joël |last2=Cravedi |first2=Jean-Pierre |last3=Hillenweck |first3=Anne |last4=Deshayes |first4=Cyrille |last5=Vallod |first5=Dominique|bibcode=2006Aquac.260..128R }}</ref>

Tilapia have very low levels of [[mercury (element)|mercury]].<ref>[https://www.fda.gov/food/environmental-contaminants-food/mercury-levels-commercial-fish-and-shellfish-1990-2012 Mercury Levels in Commercial Fish and Shellfish (1990–2010)] fda.gov</ref> Tilapia are low in [[saturated fat]], calories, carbohydrates, and sodium, and are a good protein source. They also contain the micronutrients [[phosphorus]], [[Niacin (substance)|niacin]], [[selenium]], [[vitamin B12|vitamin B<sub>12</sub>]], and [[potassium]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/finfish-and-shellfish-products/9244/2 |title=Nutrition Facts and Analysis for Fish, tilapia, cooked, dry heat |access-date=2014-01-26}}</ref>

Tilapia may be a less nutritious fish than generally believed. The fish's [[omega-3 fatty acid]] content is often far lower than that of other commonly eaten fish species. Their [[omega-6 fatty acid]] levels are unusually high. Multiple studies have evaluated the effects of adding [[flaxseed]] derivatives (a vegetable source of omega-3 fatty acids) to the feed of farmed tilapia. These studies have found that both the more common omega-3 fatty acid found in flax, [[Alpha-Linolenic acid|ALA]] and the two types almost unique to animal sources ([[Docosahexaenoic acid|DHA]] and [[Eicosapentaenoic acid|EPA]]), increased in the fish fed this diet.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Shapira |first1=N. |last2=Weill |first2=P. |last3=Sharon |first3=O.|last4=Loewenbach |first4=R. |last5=Berzak |first5=O. |title=''n''-3 PUFA fortification of high ''n''-6 PUFA farmed tilapia with linseed could significantly increase dietary contribution and support nutritional expectations of fish |journal=J. Agric. Food Chem. |volume=57 |issue=6 |pages=2249–2254 |date=March 2009 |pmid=19243170 <!-- |doi=10.1021/jf8029258|bibcode=2009JAFC...57.2249S }}{{subscription required |date=September 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |display-authors=3 |last1=Aguiar |first1=A.C. |first2=DR |last2=Morais |first3=L.P. |last3=Santos |first4=F.B. |last4=Stevanato |first5=J.E. |last5=Visentainer |first6=N.E. |last6=de Souza |first7=J.V. |last7=Visentainer |title=Effect of flaxseed oil in diet on fatty acid composition in the liver of Nile tilapia (''Oreochromis niloticus'') |date=September 2007 |journal=Arch Latinoam Nutr |volume=57 |pages=273–277 |pmid=18271406 |issue=3}}</ref> Guided by these findings, tilapia farming techniques could be adjusted to address the nutritional criticisms directed at the fish, while retaining its advantage as an omnivore capable of feeding on economically and environmentally inexpensive vegetable protein. Adequate diets for salmon and other carnivorous fish can alternatively be formulated from protein sources such as [[soybean]], although soy-based diets with soy oil may also change the balance between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids.<ref name="Espe et al. 2006">{{cite journal |display-authors=1 |last1=Espe |first1=Marit |first2=Andreas |last2=Lemme |first3=Alfred |last3=Petei |first4=Adel |last4=El-Mowafi |date=May 2006 |title=Can Atlantic salmon (''Salmo salar'') grow on diets devoid of fish meal? |journal=Aquaculture |volume=255 |issue=1–4 |pages=255–262 |doi=10.1016/j.aquaculture.2005.12.030|bibcode=2006Aquac.255..255E }}{{subscription required |date=September 2012}}</ref>

== Ecological agent ==
Tilapia serves as a natural, biological control for most aquatic plant problems. They consume floating aquatic plants, such as [[duckweed]] [[watermeal]] (''Lemna'' spp.), most "undesirable" submerged plants, and most forms of algae.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mobot.org/jwcross/duckweed/weed_control.htm|title=Aquatic Weed Control|last=Cross|first=John W.|work=The Charms of Duckweed|access-date=2012-09-15|archive-date=2012-09-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120921081544/http://www.mobot.org/jwcross/duckweed/weed_control.htm}}</ref> In the United States and countries such as [[Thailand]], they are becoming the plant-control method of choice, reducing or eliminating the use of toxic chemicals and heavy metal-based algaecides. However, their [[Tilapia as exotic species|environmental impact as an invasive species]] may outweigh their ecological benefit.<ref name="BradfordKroonRussel">{{cite journal | vauthors=((Bradford, M., Kroon, F. J., Russell, D. J.)) | journal=Marine and Freshwater Research | title=The biology and management of Tilapia mariae (Pisces: Cichlidae) as a native and invasive species: a review. | volume=62 | issue=8 | pages=902–917 | date=2 April 2011| doi=10.1071/MF10289 }}</ref> Their tolerance for a wide range of environmental conditions allows them to thrive in polluted or otherwise degraded aquatic habitats.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors=((Linde, A. R.)) | title=Invasive tilapia juveniles are associated with degraded river habitats. | journal=[[Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems]] | volume=18 | issue=6 | pages=891–895 | date=2 April 2008 | doi=10.1002/aqc.928 | bibcode=2008ACMFE..18..891L | hdl=10651/5887 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/230025332| hdl-access=free }}</ref><ref name="BradfordKroonRussel" /> [[Arkansas]] stocks many public ponds and lakes to help with vegetation control.{{cn|date=January 2025}} In Kenya, tilapia help [[Mosquito control|control mosquitoes]], which carry [[malaria]] parasites.<ref name=Petr2000>{{cite journal |last=Petr |first=T |year=2000 |title=Interactions between fish and aquatic macrophytes in inland waters. A review. |journal=FAO Fisheries Technical Papers |volume=396 | url = http://www.fao.org/docrep/006/X7580E/X7580E00.HTM}}</ref>

Tilapia can be farmed with shrimp in a symbiotic manner, positively enhancing the productive output of both.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Holanda |first1=Mariana |last2=Ravagnan |first2=Elisa |last3=Lara |first3=Gabriele |last4=Santana |first4=Gabriel |last5=Furtado |first5=Plinio |last6=Cardozo |first6=Alessandro |last7=Wasielesky |first7=Wilson |last8=Poersch |first8=Luis Henrique |date=2023-03-22 |title=Integrated multitrophic culture of shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei and tilapia Oreochromis niloticus in biofloc system: A pilot scale study |journal=Frontiers in Marine Science |language=English |volume=10 |doi=10.3389/fmars.2023.1060846 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2023FrMaS..1060846H |issn=2296-7745}}</ref>

== Medical use ==
In [[Brazil]], Nile tilapia (''[[Oreochromis niloticus]]'') fish skin applied as a bandage was first used in a 2017 clinical trial to treat burn injuries,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/brazilian-city-uses-tilapia-fish-skin-treat-burn-victims|title=Why this Brazilian city uses tilapia fish skin to treat burn victims|publisher=PBS|access-date=2017-03-04}}</ref> after successful trial in rats.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Moraes-Filho |first1=Edmar Maciel Lima-Junior |last2=Picollo |first2=Nelson Sarto |last3=Miranda |first3=Marcelo José Borges de |last4=Ribeiro |first4=Wesley Lyeverton Correia |last5=Alves |first5=Ana Paula Negreiros Nunes |last6=Ferreira |first6=Guilherme Emilio |last7=Parente |first7=Ezequiel Aguiar |last8=Odorico |first8=Manoel |title=Uso da pele de tilápia (Oreochromis niloticus), como curativo biológico oclusivo, no tratamento de queimaduras |journal=Revista Brasileira de Queimaduras |date=2017 |volume=16 |issue=1 |pages=10–17 |url=http://rbqueimaduras.org.br/details/341/pt-BR/uso-da-pele-de-tilapia%E2%80%93oreochromis-niloticus%E2%80%94como-curativo-biologico-oclusivo%E2%80%93no-tratamento-de-queimaduras |trans-title=The use of tilapia skin (Oreochromis niloticus), as an occlusive biological dressing, in the treatment of burn wounds |language=pt-BR |issn=2595-170X}}</ref> In the United States, tilapia skin has been used to successfully treat third-degree wounds to the paws of two black bears caught in California's [[Thomas Fire|Thomas wildfire]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/animalia/wp/2018/01/26/two-bears-were-badly-burned-in-wildfires-and-fish-skin-helped-heal-them/|title=Two bears were badly burned in wildfires, and fish skin helped heal them|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=2018-02-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/bears-burned-california-wildfires-healed-fish-skins-released-wild/|title=Bears Burned in California Wildfires Healed With Fish Skins, Released to Wild|publisher=UC Davis|access-date=2018-08-10}}</ref> and also to treat burns on the paws of a black bear from California's [[Carr Fire|Carr wildfire]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/wildfires-bear-treated-fish-skins-firefighters-return|title=WILDFIRES: Bear Treated With Fish Skins; Firefighters Return|publisher=UC Davis|access-date=2018-08-10}}</ref> Nile tilapia skin has completed a phase III clinical trial for superficial partial-thickness burns. The fish skin group showed faster healing, lower pain, reduced dressing changes, and lower treatment costs compared to silver sulfadiazine cream control.<ref name=Burn-P3>{{cite journal |last1=Lima Júnior |first1=EM |last2=de Moraes Filho |first2=MO |last3=Costa |first3=BA |last4=Fechine |first4=FV |last5=Vale |first5=ML |last6=Diógenes |first6=AKL |last7=Neves |first7=KRT |last8=Uchôa |first8=AMDN |last9=Soares |first9=MFADN |last10=de Moraes |first10=MEA |title=Nile Tilapia Fish Skin-Based Wound Dressing Improves Pain and Treatment-Related Costs of Superficial Partial-Thickness Burns: A Phase III Randomized Controlled Trial. |journal=Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery |date=1 May 2021 |volume=147 |issue=5 |pages=1189–1198 |doi=10.1097/PRS.0000000000007895 |pmid=33890902|s2cid=233371603 }}</ref>

Nile tilapia skin has also been used in [[neovaginoplasty]] as a [[skin graft]] material, for [[Müllerian agenesis]], [[vaginal stenosis]], and [[gender-affirming surgery]].<ref>{{cite journal|pmid=31103284|year=2019 |last1=Pinto Medeiros Dias |first1=M. T. |last2=Lima Júnior |first2=E. M. |last3=Negreiros Nunes Alves |first3=A. P. |last4=Monteiro Bilhar |first4=A. P. |last5=Rios |first5=L. C. |last6=Costa |first6=B. A. |last7=Rocha Matos |first7=E. S. |last8=Venancio |first8=A. C. |last9=Bruno |first9=Z. V. |author10=Odorico de Moraes Filho M |last11=Pinheiro Sobreira Bezerra |first11=L. R. |title=Tilapia fish skin as a new biologic graft for neovaginoplasty in Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome: A video case report |journal=Fertility and Sterility |volume=112 |issue=1 |pages=174–176 |doi=10.1016/j.fertnstert.2019.04.003 |s2cid=159039703 |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|pmid= 32142893|year= 2020|last1= Lima Júnior|first1= E. M.|last2= De Moraes Filho|first2= M. O.|last3= Costa|first3= B. A.|last4= Bruno|first4= Z. V.|author5= Filho MPM|last6= Amaral De Moraes|first6= M. E.|author7= Rodrigues FAR|author8= Paier CRK|author9= Bezerra LRPS|title= Male-to-Female Gender-Affirming Surgery Using Nile Tilapia Fish Skin as a Biocompatible Graft|journal= [[Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology]]|volume= 27|issue= 7|pages= 1474–1475|doi= 10.1016/j.jmig.2020.02.017|s2cid= 212622119|doi-access= free}}</ref>

The skin-growing properties of tilapia skin are believed to be linked to its high [[type I collagen]] content and structural similarities to human skin. The material is also quite strong despite its low thickness.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Lima-Junior |first1=EM |last2=de Moraes Filho |first2=MO |last3=Costa |first3=BA |last4=Fechine |first4=FV |last5=de Moraes |first5=MEA |last6=Silva-Junior |first6=FR |last7=Soares |first7=MFADN |last8=Rocha |first8=MBS |last9=Leontsinis |first9=CMP |title=Innovative treatment using tilapia skin as a xenograft for partial thickness burns after a gunpowder explosion. |journal=Journal of Surgical Case Reports |date=June 2019 |volume=2019 |issue=6 |article-number=rjz181 |doi=10.1093/jscr/rjz181 |pmid=31214319|pmc=6565829 }}</ref> The current procedure for skin use<ref name=Burn-P3/> calls for chemical sterilization with chlorhexidine, immersion in [[glycerol]], followed by gamma ray sterilization, plus a few washes with saline in between.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Costa |first1=Bruno Almeida |last2=Lima Júnior |first2=Edmar Maciel |last3=de Moraes Filho |first3=Manoel Odorico |last4=Fechine |first4=Francisco Vagnaldo |last5=de Moraes |first5=Maria Elisabete Amaral |last6=Silva Júnior |first6=Francisco Raimundo |last7=do Nascimento Soares |first7=Maria Flaviane Araújo |last8=Rocha |first8=Marina Becker Sales |title=Use of Tilapia Skin as a Xenograft for Pediatric Burn Treatment: A Case Report |journal=Journal of Burn Care & Research |date=14 August 2019 |volume=40 |issue=5 |pages=714–717 |doi=10.1093/jbcr/irz085|pmid=31112268 }}</ref>

== Parasites ==
As with most fish, tilapia harbor a variety of [[fish parasites|parasites]]. For the [[monogenean]]s, these especially include species of the megadiverse [[genus]] ''[[Cichlidogyrus]]'', which are gill parasites. Species of ''[[Enterogyrus]]'' are parasites in the digestive system. Tilapia, as an important aquaculture fish, has been introduced widely all over the world, and often carries their monogenean parasites with them. In [[South China]], a 2019 study has shown that nine species of monogeneans were carried by introduced tilapia.<ref name="ZhangZhi2019">{{cite journal|last1=Zhang|first1=Shuai|last2=Zhi|first2=Tingting|last3=Xu|first3=Xiangli|last4=Zheng|first4=Yingying|last5=Bilong Bilong|first5=Charles Félix|last6=Pariselle|first6=Antoine|last7=Yang|first7=Tingbao|title=Monogenean fauna of alien tilapias (Cichlidae) in south China|journal=Parasite|volume=26|year=2019|page=4|issn=1776-1042|doi=10.1051/parasite/2019003|url= |pmid= 30714897|pmc=6361074}} {{open access}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
*{{cite journal |last1=Logan |first1=Cheryl A. |first2=S. Elizabeth |last2=Alter |first3=Alison J. |last3=Haupt |first4=Katharine |last4=Tomalty |first5=Stephen R. |last5=Palumbi |author-link5=Stephen Palumbi |year=2008 |title=An impediment to consumer choice: Overfished species are sold as Pacific red snapper |journal=Biological Conservation |volume=141 |issue=6 |pages=1591–1599 |issn=0006-3207 |doi=10.1016/j.biocon.2008.04.007|bibcode=2008BCons.141.1591L }}
*{{cite journal |author=FAO Fishery Information, Data |author2=Statistics Service |name-list-style=amp  |title=Aquaculture production (1985–1991) |journal=FAO Fisheries Circular |volume=815 |publisher=[[Food and Agriculture Organization]] of the United Nations |pages=20–21 |year=1993}}
*{{cite book|last=Trewavas|first=Ethelwynn|year=1983|title=Tilapiine fish of the genera ''Sarotherodon'', ''Oreochromis'' and ''Danakilia''|publisher=British Museum (Natural History)|location=London|isbn=0-565-00878-1}}
*{{cite web|last1=McCrary|first1=Jeffrey K|first2=Mark|last2=Castro|first3=Kenneth R.|last3=McKaye|year=2005|title=Mercury in Fish From Two Nicaraguan Lakes: A Recommendation for Increased Monitoring of Fish for International Commerce|work=Environmental Pollution|issue=141|volume=3|pages=513–518|url=http://www.gaianicaragua.org/fish/Env%20Poll%202006.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111003195646/http://www.gaianicaragua.org/fish/Env%20Poll%202006.pdf|archive-date=2011-10-03}}
{{Commons category}}
{{Cookbook}}

{{tilapia|state=expanded}}
{{commercial fish topics}}
{{seafood}}
{{meat}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Tilapia| ]]
[[Category:Commercial fish]]
[[Category:Fish common names]]
[[Category:Filipino cuisine]]
[[Category:Fish of the Philippines]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]