Tilapia buttikoferi
Encyclopedia
Tilapia buttikoferi are a large African tilapiine cichlid
fish that can be found mainly in West Africa
, specifically Liberia
. They are freshwater fish
that tend to live in river
s and stream
s. People have imported and bred them throughout the world for both aquatic
and nutritious purposes.
Tilapia buttikoferi are typically yellow or white with black stripes which can vary from very light to near black depending on the mood of the fish. Their stripes tend to fade as they age. It is a large cichlid, capable of growing up to 40 cm (15 inches).
Tilapia buttikoferi are extremely intelligent and aggressive aquarium fish. Aquarium owners find that they are very active and react to movements outside of the aquarium, including attempts to attack an "invader" through the glass of the tank. It is generally advised not to mix them with other fish, as they can be very aggressive, with few exceptions. They require tanks of at least 100 gallons, and temperatures of about 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit. They love all foods, and need frequent water changes because they are such big eaters. Please note this fish is legal in Texas and Florida Now.
Cichlid
Cichlids are fishes from the family Cichlidae in the order Perciformes. Cichlids are members of a group known as the Labroidei along with the wrasses , damselfish , and surfperches . This family is both large and diverse. At least 1,300 species have been scientifically described, making it one of...
fish that can be found mainly in West Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, specifically Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
. They are freshwater fish
Freshwater fish
Freshwater fish are fish that spend some or all of their lives in freshwater, such as rivers and lakes, with a salinity of less than 0.05%. These environments differ from marine conditions in many ways, the most obvious being the difference in levels of salinity...
that tend to live in river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
s and stream
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
s. People have imported and bred them throughout the world for both aquatic
Aquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
and nutritious purposes.
Tilapia buttikoferi are typically yellow or white with black stripes which can vary from very light to near black depending on the mood of the fish. Their stripes tend to fade as they age. It is a large cichlid, capable of growing up to 40 cm (15 inches).
Tilapia buttikoferi are extremely intelligent and aggressive aquarium fish. Aquarium owners find that they are very active and react to movements outside of the aquarium, including attempts to attack an "invader" through the glass of the tank. It is generally advised not to mix them with other fish, as they can be very aggressive, with few exceptions. They require tanks of at least 100 gallons, and temperatures of about 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit. They love all foods, and need frequent water changes because they are such big eaters. Please note this fish is legal in Texas and Florida Now.