Zebra tilapia
Heterotilapia buttikoferi
- Adult size
- 25 cm10 in
- Start with
- 1
- Tank length
- 180 cmabout 6 ft (71 in)
- Lifespan
- 10–15 yrs
- Temperature
- 23–30 °C73–86 °F
- pH
- 6–8
- Hardness
- 1–20 dGH
- Diet
- omnivore
Extremely aggressive and destructive as an adult; plan for a single specimen or a pair in a very large tank.Extremely aggressive and destructive as an adult; plan for a single specimen or a pair in a very large tank.
Tank sizes
Good tankmates
Avoid with
- Alligator gar
Alligator gar may eat Zebra tilapiaAlligator gar may eat Zebra tilapia
- Arapaima
Arapaima may eat Zebra tilapiaArapaima may eat Zebra tilapia
- Channel catfish
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Cuban gar
Cuban gar may eat Zebra tilapiaCuban gar may eat Zebra tilapia
- Dourada
Dourada may eat Zebra tilapiaDourada may eat Zebra tilapia
- Hogchoker
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
Iridescent sharkIridescent shark may eat Zebra tilapiaIridescent shark may eat Zebra tilapia
- Longear sunfish
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Longnose gar
Longnose gar may eat Zebra tilapiaLongnose gar may eat Zebra tilapia
- Paroon shark
Paroon shark may eat Zebra tilapiaParoon shark may eat Zebra tilapia
- Piraiba
Piraiba may eat Zebra tilapiaPiraiba may eat Zebra tilapia
- Pumpkinseed
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
Sources
| temperature | 23–30 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · low |
|---|---|---|
| ph | 6–8 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · low |
| gh | 1–20 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium |
| origin | Coastal rivers of Guinea-Bissau to Liberia | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low |
| notes | Extremely aggressive and destructive as an adult; plan for a single specimen or | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| beginner friendly | false | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| care level | moderate | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| color palette | #E3D7A8, #1E1E1E | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low |
| activity | moderate | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| swim zone | bottom | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| temperament | aggressive | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| fin nipper | false | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| long finned | false | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| territorial | true | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| schooling | false | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| schooling min | 1 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| diet | omnivore | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| lifespan years | 10–15 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low |
| growth to adult months | 24 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low |
| length weight | {"a":0.03,"b":3} | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low |
| planted safe | false | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| min tank length | 180 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| body shape | cichlid | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |