Hobbies And Interests
Tilapia
Fish that fall in the actual Tilapia genus are unique in that the males and females engage in a courtship before mating. The fish build a nest and stand guard over the eggs, and the defense of the nest continues even after the fish hatch. Tilapia continue to look after the young fish for a short time after birth.
Oreochromis
The Oreochromis genus of tilapia fish also engage in a courtship, but it is much different from the Tilapia genus. Males build a nest and wait for a female to deposit eggs in it; the eggs are then fertilized. The female fish then takes the eggs into her mouth until they hatch. After the female has collected the eggs, the male fish chases the female away from his nest, eagerly awaiting his next courtship.
Sarotherodon
The Sarotherodon genus of tilapia follow the same pattern as the Oreochromis. The female deposits eggs in the male's nest and waits for the eggs to be fertilized. The female collects the eggs in her mouth for incubation. The difference between Sarotherodon and Oreochromis is that the male and female then defend the nest and eggs afterwards. The male must wait until the eggs have hatched and the young fish have matured before he can pursue another courtship.
Farming
All types of tilapia are heavily farmed because the fish mature quickly, which means they have faster reproduction cycles. Also, tilapia have a wide range of temperatures in which they can thrive. They are farmed for food, but sometimes they are introduced into an ecosystem to act as a predator to help weed out undesirable fish.