Fecundity of Mozambique Tilapia (Oreochromis Mossambicus Peters) from Reservoirs of Beed District in Maharashtra, India

Tilapia is native to Africa and Middle East and has emerged from mere obscurity to one of the most productive and internationally traded food fish in the world [1]. The last three decades have seen significant developments in farming of tilapias worldwide. They are being farmed in about 85 countries worldwide Tilapia belongs to the family Cichlidae under order Perciformes. There are about 70 species of tilapias, of which nine species are used in global aquaculture [2]. In India, tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) was introduced in 1952, with a view to filling up unoccupied niches such as reservoirs and ponds. These species spread across the country within a few years due to prolific breeding and adaptability to wide range of environmental condition. Introduction of tilapia in our culture system is advantageous because it represents lower level in food chain, and thus its culture will be economical and eco-friendly.