Fish profile · Cichlidae

Nile tilapia

Oreochromis niloticus

FoodFreshwater Introduced to MalaysiaLeast Concern (IUCN)

Nile tilapia is an introduced freshwater cichlid raised widely for food. Females carry developing eggs and young in their mouths; fast breeding can create dense populations in ponds.

Last reviewed 26 October 2026 · 6 sources

Photo of Nile tilapia — (c) anukma, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY

Max length: 63 cm
IUCN: LC; Least Concern
In Malaysia: Introduced
Family: Cichlidae; order Perciformes

Category from the IUCN Red List, via GBIF (CC BY 4.0); it may lag the latest Red List assessment.

How big?

Linear scale · person 170 cm

Up to 63 cm.

The person is 170 cm tall.

Where in Malaysia

13 open-licence records · GBIF

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Recorded (open records)

Recorded in Selangor, Pahang, Pulau Pinang, Sabah, Melaka, and Negeri Sembilan. Based on 13 open-licence records on GBIF. Few records can mean few surveys, not few fish.

How to identify

Deep, laterally flattened body
A long dorsal fin with connected spiny and soft portions
Numerous dark vertical bars on a relatively square tail

Habitat

Lowland rivers Lakes Reservoirs

Warm shallow freshwater and fish-culture ponds.

Diet: Grazes algae, aquatic plants and detritus, and also eats small invertebrates.
Native range: Africa and parts of the Levant.

Eating

A major farmed food fish, marketed whole and as fillets.

Sources

Last reviewed 26 October 2026