TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-likes)
Family: Cichlidae (Cichlids)

Genus/species: Tilapia buttikoferi

Hornet Tilapia 4562623192_2331f3feaf_b-2

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Length to 12 inches. Color is yellowish-grey, with 7-8 broad, oblique brownish-black bars, broader than the light spaces

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Native to Western Africa. Found in coastal rivers and streams.

DIET IN THE WILD: A voracious omnivore, T. buttikoferi feeds on fish and crustaceans and vegetable matter.

CONSERVATION: IUCN least concern.

Hornet Tilapia 9260875598_b14d228439_o

REMARKS: After salmonids and carps, tilapia are fast growing and easily bred. Tilapia are the most important fishes in aquaculture by the gross weight of production. They have imported and bred throughout the world for both aquatic and nutritious purposes and are legal in Texas and Florida.

Swamp Cichlids SW02

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