Blackchin tilapia
Sarotherodon melanotheron
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The blackchin tilapia comes from the West African coast, from Mauritania to Cameroon, from brackish lagoons, estuaries and mangroves; it tolerates high salinity. Adults have dark blotches on the chin. It lives in schools, is mainly nocturnal and eats algal film, detritus, molluscs and zooplankton. The male mouthbroods the eggs. It has been introduced and become invasive in Florida, Thailand and the Philippines. It is usually about 17 centimetres, with a maximum of 28.
- Scientific name
- Sarotherodon melanotheron
- Family
- Cichlidae
Fact sheet
General
- Water
- Brackish
- Group
- Fish
Taxonomy
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Order
- Cichliformes
- Synonyms
- Chromis heudelotii, Chromis macrocephalus, Chromis microcephalus, Chromis niloticus, Melanogenes macrocephalus, Melanogenes microcephalus, Sarotherodon melanotheron heudelotii, Sarotherodon melanotheron leonensis, Sarotherodon melanotheron melanotheron, Sarotherodon melanotheron paludinosus, Tilapia heudeloti, Tilapia heudelotii, Tilapia heudelotii heudelotii, Tilapia heudelotii macrocephala, Tilapia leonensis
Origin
- Native region
- África
Water
- pH
- 7–8
- General hardness (GH)
- 9–19 °dGH
Size and lifespan
- Adult size
- 28 cm
Behavior
- Swimming level
- Bottom
- Diet
- Herbivore
Reproduction
- Breeding strategy
- Mouthbrooder
Conservation and trade
- IUCN status
- Least concern (LC)
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