Redbelly Tilapia

About

Redbelly tilapia (Tilapia zillii) is one of the toughest fish you are ever likely to keep, and that hardiness cuts both ways. Native to a vast stretch of Africa and parts of Eurasia, this species occupies everything from slow rivers and seasonal floodplains to brackish estuaries, and it can tolerate temperature and salinity ranges that would kill most aquarium fish outright. Adults are chunky, broad-shouldered cichlids that develop a reddish flush on the belly, particularly when in breeding condition. In the wild they gravitate toward shallow, plant-rich margins where they methodically graze on submerged leaves, stems, algae, and decaying vegetation, and they bring exactly that appetite into the aquarium. Do not expect any planted tank to survive them. They need a very large footprint to thrive, and their excavating habits mean a sparsely decorated, robust setup suits them far better than anything delicate. Redbelly tilapia are occasionally sociable and will loosely school, but they are primarily diurnal and can be territorial, especially when breeding. Pairs form lasting bonds and together guard eggs and larvae in a pit dug into the substrate, showing the attentive parental behavior common to cichlids. Spawns can reach 1,000 eggs, so be prepared if you are housing a male and female together.