Spotted Tilapia (Tilapia mariae) Care Guide
Tilapia mariae is a robust West African tilapia reaching about 30 cm, a substrate spawner that is invasive outside its range and needs a very large tank.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Tilapia mariae, the spotted tilapia, is a robust West and Central African cichlid reaching about 32.3 cm in standard length. It is dark olive-green to light yellowish with eight or nine dark bars and two to six dark spots between the bars along the midline. The species is also placed in the genus Pelmatolapia as Pelmatolapia mariae.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cichlidae
- Genus: Tilapia
- Scientific name: Tilapia mariae
- Common synonym: Pelmatolapia mariae
Habitat
According to FishBase and Wikipedia, the species occurs in fresh and brackish waters of West and Central Africa, from the Tabou River in Côte d'Ivoire to the Kribi River in Cameroon, in rocky or mud-bottomed rivers, warm springs and canals. Introduced populations are established in Florida and Australia, where it can dominate local fish biomass.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 500 L
- Temperature: 24-28 °C (75-82 °F)
- pH: 6.0-8.0
- GH: 2-20 °dGH
- Lifespan: 10-15 years
Diet
FishBase reports a herbivorous preference, feeding on algae, higher plants and plant parts, but also accepting insects and shrimps. In the aquarium it takes a varied diet with strong vegetable content, fed twice daily; live plants are usually eaten.
Compatibility
This is an aggressive cichlid, especially when breeding. It is suitable only for large tanks with robust West African companions and should not be combined with Rift Lake mbuna, hard-water cichlids, dwarf cichlids or small fish.
Breeding
Tilapia mariae is a pair-bonding substrate brooder. FishBase reports clutches of roughly 600-3300 eggs per female; eggs hatch in one to three days and the parents guard the fry until they reach 2.5-3.0 cm.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 16 October 2019).
Breeding Tilapia mariae (Spotted Tilapia)
Overview
Tilapia mariae (also placed in Pelmatolapia) is a robust West and Central African cichlid found in coastal lagoons and lower river courses from the Tabou River to the Kribi River, reaching about 32.3 cm SL (FishBase). It is a pair-bonding, monogamous, open-substrate brooder in which both parents guard the brood (FishBase, Wikipedia). The species is also notable as an invasive fish where introduced.
Sexing
Sexual maturity is reached at roughly 10-15 cm length (FishBase). Reliable visual sexing of mature fish is best confirmed near spawning, when females prepare the nest site.
Conditioning
FishBase records the species at 20-25 °C, pH 6.0-8.0 and 5-19 dH, in still or flowing waters over rocky or mud bottoms. Breeding occurs year-round with peaks reported around November, March-April and July-September (Wikipedia). Condition adults on a varied omnivorous diet.
Breeding Setup
Provide submerged logs, rocks or other firm surfaces, since eggs are typically deposited on submerged logs, rocks or plants (Wikipedia). The female prepares the nesting site by clearing rocky substrate. Adequate space is needed for the pair to establish and defend a territory.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
These are monogamous fish engaging in biparental care. The female tends the embryos while the male initially stays a short distance away; once the offspring are a few days old the male becomes active in predator defence while the female guards ahead (Wikipedia). A female can lay up to around 1800-2000 eggs (Wikipedia, FishBase).
Egg & Fry Care
Eggs hatch in roughly 1-3 days, after which larvae need a further 6-8 days to develop before swimming freely (FishBase). Parental care continues until the fry reach about 2.5-3.0 cm (FishBase, Wikipedia). Both parents guard the swarm throughout this period.
Common Challenges
Breeding aggression and large adult size require spacious, robustly stocked tanks. The species' very high fecundity also raises grow-out demands. Because it is invasive where introduced, surplus fish must never be released into the wild.