Identifying Tilapia spp.

[blackghost]

Does anybody know of a key to identifying Tilapia spp?

I'm primarily thinking of rendalli, tholloni, dageti, ruwetti, zilli, etc. I might be wrong but they seem very similar when young.
I love Tilapia, but I'm lost when it comes to identification as they are never commonly seen.

[Rico Morgenstern]

Dear Mark,

some identification keys are available at fishbase under

http://www.fishbase.org/keys/keyslist.cfm?famcode=349

Tilapia spp. are included in keys no. 7 (Southern African species), 1176 (Lake Bermin endemics) and 1492 (West African species). There are others in the scientific literature, i. e. in Thys' revisions of the Congolese species (1964) and of those from Cameron/Gabon (1966), but both papers are in French.

RM

[fishy1rt]

Thanks for the link. I picked up a $1 bag of unwanted Tilapia "maria" a few years back. Since they didn't have any spots I've always wondered what else they might be. They look like the Tilapia busumana . . . but it is still a guessing game.

BTW, anyone who is interested, these are free to a good home!

[fishy1rt]

Ok, sorry to take this post in another direction. But after reading another post, I am now convinced that my fish are the Tilapia sp. "cross river." They did come from an OCA event and the timing is about right. They have been living, forgotten in a 4ft tank for quite a few years now . . . still free to a good home!

[blackghost]

No problem Fishy...any info is good info !!

Thanks very much Rico.

[Sharpfish]

by fishy1rt » Sat Mar 13, 2010 11:08 pm
Ok, sorry to take this post in another direction. But after reading another post, I am now convinced that my fish are the Tilapia sp. "cross river." They did come from an OCA event and the timing is about right. They have been living, forgotten in a 4ft tank for quite a few years now . . . still free to a good home!

Do you have any photos you can post? It is always interesting to see an uncommon cichlid species?