Tilapia is a exotic fish for India. Its original habitat is rivers & lakes of Africa. It has many species, out of which Tilapia Mosambica was introduced for the first time in India in 1952, from Bangkok by the Central marine fisheries Research Institute, Mandapam.

Though generally a herbivore (feeding on vegetative matter) it is an omnivour. Tilapia breeds throughout the year and carries its eggs and even young-ones whenever necessary in its mouth. It reaches maturity at a very early age being hardly 2 to 3 months old and hardly 50 to 100 mm in size. Due to such profuse breeding the size of fish goes on reducing in a tank infested with Tilapia. It is, however, a very tasty fish if it is at least over 300 gms.

It is observed that Tilapia when cultured with major carps in a tank feeds on carp spawn even when its natural food is available, Due to profuse breeding the large population which is created competes for food with major carps thus considerably hampering growth of major carps, and hence the lake authorities endeavour each year to reduce the vast quantities of this specie.