Hectonichus, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Zebra tilapia is a substrate-spawner. Once a pair is formed, both the male and the female excavate a large pit with the intention of laying eggs on the solid base below. Spawning takes place with the pair alternating egg laying and fertilization. Both parents may care for the eggs, including fanning water through the nests to incubate the embryos.
CLASS: Actinopterygii
ORDER: Perciformes
FAMILY: Cichlidae
SUBFAMILY: Pseudocrenilabrinae
GENUS/SPECIES: Tilapia buttikoferi
Size: Up to 15 in (40 cm)
Diet: Worms, small crustaceans, insect larvae, soft aquatic vegetation and detritus
Habitat: Coastal rivers from Guinea-Bissau to west Liberia
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