The Mozambique Tilapia or Oreochromis mossambicus is just one of the 100s of different Cichlid species of fish known as Tilapia. This particular species goes by a couple different names including Blue Kurper, Tilapia Kafuensis, Kafue Bream and the Three Spotted Tilapia. This species is native to Southern Africa and is found in many tropical areas around the world, where it is used for aquaculture. Like other Tilapia, they are able to survive in very harsh conditions compared to many other freshwater fish. It can adapt to temperatures below 50 °F (10 °C) and above 100 °F (38 °C), and can also tolerate brackish waters. They also will eat a large variety of foods, which not only makes them a perfect candidate for fish farming, but also difficult to get rid of when introduced to the wrong area. These fish are considered to be an invasive species in parts of the world where they have been introduced to control mosquitoes.
These fish are not particular large, only grow to about 14" (35cm) in length and weighing in at 2-1/2 lbs (1.13KG). They can live for about 11 years. Like other species of Cichlids, these fish are mouth brooders, which means that after the eggs are laid and fertilized the female will then scoop them up into her mouth for protection until they hatch. You can check out the Mozambique Tilapia underwater in the video below.
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