Tilapia spot

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Young fish of Tilapia sparrmanii with a typical tilapia spot in the back half of the dorsal fin

The tilapia spot is a blackish round spot that young cichlids of the African genera Coptodon , Heterotilapia , Pelmatolapia , Tilapia , Oreochromis and Sarotherodon show during their juvenile fish phase. It lies between the hard-rayed and soft-rayed part of the dorsal fin and disappears with increasing growth. From a length of 12 cm it is no longer visible in all species. The tilapia spot serves as a signal spot, helps the young fish to stay together and makes the young fish recognizable to the older animals. Fish that show the tilapia spot are not yet seen as competitors and are not displaced from the territories of the territorial cichlids.

source

  • Hans J. Mayland: The Malawi lake and its fish. Landbuch-Verlag, Hannover 1982, ISBN 3-7842-0257-8 , pp. 310-311.