Breeding Tilapia buttikoferi (Hornet Tilapia)

Tilapia buttikoferi is a large pair-bonding biparental open-substrate spawner that holds very large territories and may breed year-round. Both parents guard eggs and fry.

Overview

Tilapia buttikoferi (also placed in Heterotilapia) is a large striped West African cichlid from the lower reaches of coastal rivers from Guinea-Bissau to western Liberia, reaching about 30.8 cm SL (FishBase, Wikipedia). According to FishBase it is a pair-bonding, biparental, open-substratum spawner that holds very large territories and may spawn throughout the year. Its size and aggression make it a project for large, robust aquaria only.

Conditioning

FishBase records this species at 23-25 °C and pH 6.5-7.0 in its rocky river habitats. Adults occur in larger rivers with rocky substrates. Condition mature, robust adults on a varied omnivorous diet; the species' large adult size means breeders are correspondingly large fish.

Breeding Setup

Because pairs hold very large territories (FishBase), an open-substratum spawner of this size requires a spacious tank with a firm flat surface such as rock or slate for egg deposition. The body colour can shift from very light to near black depending on mood, often intensifying around spawning and territorial defence (Wikipedia).

Spawning Behavior & Trigger

As a biparental open-substratum spawner, the pair cleans a flat surface and lays eggs in the open. Both parents guard the brood and defend a large territory; spawning may occur throughout the year (FishBase). In biparental substrate cichlids the female commonly tends and fans the eggs while the male patrols and repels intruders.

Egg & Fry Care

Eggs are laid on the cleaned open substrate and guarded by both parents. After hatching the fry are kept together and defended by the pair. Given the territorial intensity of this species, the parents vigorously exclude other tankmates from the breeding area.

Common Challenges

The dominant challenges are space and aggression: the species needs very large territories and is highly territorial when breeding, so unsuitable tankmates are at serious risk. The large adult size also demands strong filtration and frequent maintenance to support the high bioload.