Tilapia??? Any Info About Em???

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BIG_ONE

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 23, 2008
2,341
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California
Hey there keepers!!! I have absolute no knowledge at all with tilapia. The only 2 species I am looking forward is the Butti and the Pink. I know the Butti can get nasty and will usually beat every cichlid you put it with even with the meanest CA/SA cichlid.
Any knowledge about the Butti that they would like to Shed on me? Basically everything to keep them happy, and live to the max.
As for the pink tilapia, I have can't find any sources online about them. Can anyone please shed some help here with the pink? thank you. :nilly:
 
The pink are just a line bred version of mozzambique. So any info you find about mozzambique, or niloticus or any other simlar species applies. I used to keep niloticus in my pond in summer, and water temps would get down to almost 50'F, and tolerated without a problem.
image001-57.jpg

They ate fallen fruit, algae and bugs that fell in, put them in at approx 1" and they came out in Oct the above size, with no other feedings than what fell in.
Any of the pink type can get big, the one below is @ 20"
03-08-07_1913.jpg

I have also kept buttis, and if you get one or 2, expect to end up with 1, and no other fish in the tank.
 
I have a 2 pink tilapias, 4" and 5" they are much more like the other cichlids, they like rearranging your aquarium, destroy plants, and bully slow moving fishes for food.. Their attitude are more like oscars.. Greedy... They are very hardy fishes, they even can withstand 90%water change and top it with direct tap water with chlorine.. Yep, they can multiply very fast, if u have males and females in an established big tank.. They do well in ponds. And if u want plants try java ferns. They wont touch it..
 
how big do they get exactly? when are they mature enough to breed? do they have to pair off their own or will they breed like convicts if I just put a male and female in it. Besides, how do you even tell if its a male or female for pink tilapia/mozzambique. and do they eat other fish that fits into their mouth, last but not least...what's the minimal tank for a pair to breed in.

oh, forgot...are they aggressive during breeding???
 
I had some Mossambique start breeding at @ 4-5", the males grow a little larger and get darker and redder during spawning, they are mouth brooders. Probably best to get 5 or 6, let them pair off naturally. They were aggressive to each other during spawning, but not particularly aggressive to the other species I had. They are not fish eaters, although they will eat fry. They are algae, vegetation and detritus feeders in nature, have even been know to eat the dung of cattle. They grow fast, a 50 gal, might work for a short time.
 
This thread is little old but I'll reply in case you check it again.

I have a Pink Tilapia. Purchased it at about 2" and a few months later it is beginning to eclipse the 6" mark. A beautiful very active fish that will eat anything. Flakes, pellets, krill, plankton, bloodworms, zuchini, and feeder crickets, roseys, and guppies are all inhaled with equal vigor. Mine gets along fine in a mixed tank with American cichlids. They can reach 10-12" in aquaria according to the information I have read to date.

Naldo

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BIG_ONE;3134454; said:
Hey there keepers!!! I have absolute no knowledge at all with tilapia. The only 2 species I am looking forward is the Butti and the Pink. I know the Butti can get nasty and will usually beat every cichlid you put it with even with the meanest CA/SA cichlid.
Any knowledge about the Butti that they would like to Shed on me? Basically everything to keep them happy, and live to the max.
As for the pink tilapia, I have can't find any sources online about them. Can anyone please shed some help here with the pink? thank you. :nilly:
Click to expand...

I have a Butti Tilapia and on his own he is a brilliant fish to watch, but with other fish he is a real bully! He was put in with a Pacu of equal size, but with a glass divide between them and all he did was attact the glass! Took the glass out after a few weeks to see how they went and he was fine for a little bit but then started getting aggressive towards the Pacu. Even put a huge Tiger Shovel Nose in with them and the Tilapia just carried on.

So now he is on his own in a seperate tank where he keep himself entertained by pullin it apart!
 
Grilled tilapia... nom nom nom...
 
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