..........................Tiger Tilapia
Other names:...........none Origin:......................Niger basin to Cameroon Max size:..................14" PH:............-..............6.6-7.1 Temperature:...........71-78 F. Min tank size:..........65 gallons Food:.........................Live foods, beef heart, vegetable matter |
Tilapia mariae, or the Tiger Tilapia, is a large Cichlid from the Niger basin. The body is yellow to beige, with several large dark spots running from the gill cover to the caudal penduncle. These spots start out as verticle stripes in juveniles. The fins are large and spotted.
Much like birds, these fish may actually swallow sand which will then help them break down and digest their food. A sandy substrate is obviously recommended, as are several hiding places made from roots and rocks.
The Tiger Tilapia is an omnivorous fish that should be fed a well-varied diet. They relish live foods, as well as vegetable matter and freeze dried foods. They will eat plants.
These fish spawn in the usual cichlid fashion on clean, flat rocks. They then transfer the eggs to a prepared spawning pit in the substrate. The brood may contain up to 2000 eggs, which are guarded by the parents.
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