Fish ID Please... is this a tilapia?

[dachy]

I bought this guy at aquatic warehouse about a month ago.. he was listed as "Rendall's Tilapia". There were 2 others that looked just like him, and the rest in the tank were similarly shaped but so dark they were almost black. I asked the guys working if he was different and they said no. I was hoping for some other opinions on if he is indeed a tilapia or not because to me he doesn't resemble a buttikoferi much at all except for when his stripes come out.. anyways here are the pictures:

 

[santoury]

He is a tilapia, the other two are Haplochromis livingstoni.

 

[WeeNe858]

they're good sushi fishes!

 

[thebestincali2000]

whatever he is,he aint no buttikoferie.even at that age,you can see the stripes,and the head looks different too.

 

[cepon3]

thats more then likely a tilapia sp. or something closely related in the Sarotherodon family..

 

[ammerman19]

whatever he is,he aint no buttikoferie.even at that age,you can see the stripes,and the head looks different too.

There are many species of tilapia. Butterkoferi is only one.

 

[straitjacketstar]

It's a "Tilapia".
Being that it was labelled a "Rendall's Tilapia" one would assume it to be Tilapia rendalli, but it's not.
Due to the shape of mouth and body once can conclude it is of the Oreochromis or Sarotherodon genus and due to the markings on and around the fish's head and face it most closely resembles (and probably is) Sarotherodon melanotheron, the "blackchin mouthbrooder".

 

[vtecmissle]

anyone have a link to a place i can get some t rendalli from. I want to hybridize with niloticus or aurea. greg espey

 

[straitjacketstar]

anyone have a link to a place i can get some t rendalli from. I want to hybridize with niloticus or aurea. greg espey

T. rendalli are not mouthbrooders like Oreochromis sp. Obtaining viable fry from such a cross is highly unlikely.

 

[bbboys]

are you talking about the aquatic warehouse in so cal, near san diego?