(6) Tilapia Butterkoferi Babies Ordered

baddiesel1

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Oct 22, 2008
9
5
3
Beaufort, NC
They are really fun fish to keep and super cute when small. I found that even though I had two that "paired up", they were still very hard on each other and spent a lot of the time fighting with one another. When I kept them without target fish they would turn on each other in a heartbeat. However, if there was a common enemy, they would often join forces. They are the only fish I could keep when trying to pair my hemichromis fasciatus that wouldn't immediately be killed. Eventually I traded my pair to my lfs where they are currently terrorizing a tank of midevils.
How long was your wait before the babies showed an interest in pairing up?
 

lunsforj

Aimara
MFK Member
Aug 6, 2009
786
731
130
corvallis, OR
Female was around 5 inches and the male was 6 or more. They never actually laid eggs at that size but went through the motions several times.
 

baddiesel1

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Oct 22, 2008
9
5
3
Beaufort, NC
Thank you lunsforj for the info. So, it'll probably take close to a year for that much growth. Hope the (6) little ones can stand each other for that long in a 180g tank. I've been shopping around for a 300g w/overflows.
 

baddiesel1

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Oct 22, 2008
9
5
3
Beaufort, NC
Today, at 1300 hrs EST, I received (6) beautiful baby Tilapia butterkoferi. The heat packs were still warm, as well as their water. They were well packed. After I acclimated them and released them, they were swimming laps back and forth, and investigating every square inch of the tank. They're schooling, and very "group" oriented. I fed them a pinch of green spirulina flake food, and a small pinch of small NLS Thera A+ micro pellets. They gobbled it up in seconds. I really love these fish!!!!
 
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