Spotted Tilapia, Tilapia mariae, is a fresh- water and estuarine teleost that occurs naturally in West Africa, from Cote d’Ivoire to Cameroon. This species, called Èpìyà in Yoruba, has a wide distribution in the fresh and brackish water rivers of southern Nigeria and flourish in Ethiope River of Nigeria. Spotted tilapia vary in appearance according to age, starting from the spotless juvenile fish to the series of somewhat irregular, large spots centered near the midline of the body of the adult fish. This fish has an essentially oval body and maximum size reaches 15.5 inches. In West Africa, the spotted tilapia is a source of protein. Spotted Tilapia itself feed predominantly on algae, detritus and aquatic macrophytes, with allochthonous and benthic invertebrates complementing their diets.
