There are over100 species of Tilapines, and many are hard to tell apart, and then add to that, the many hybrids.
It is nearly imppossible to tell by a simple photo.
Here are some of the similar looking species I kept in Milwaukee
niloticus is commonly found in the US
zillii (below) feral from Texas to Florida
Sweetwater Organics and some other aquaponics facilities in Milwaukee were raising the one below
I was able to get tanganyikie thru the GCCA (below)
I received linnelli, thru a Milwaukee Aquarium society/Capital City Aquarium Club box swap (below)
I even had the mozambique species as far back as the 1960s.
And I have seen many in Mexican and Asian restaurant in Milwaukee with Tilapines,
The one below was in a 300-500 gal tank in Aquatics Unlimited,it might have been almost 20" long
The one below is a shot from a canal in Florida
And below is a lake in the highlands of Panama, probably the Mozambique species, I have found them in Lake Gatun, and hear they are common most other lakes.
and below a video of the Car Wash Cenote in Mexico, where Tilapines were the most common cichlid i saw.
Aktun Ha
