Mouth-breeding cichlid, Tilapia mossambica Peters

Abstract

While suggesting the possibilities of developing the low lying coastal areas into artificial marine fish farms, Panikkar (1952) stressed the need for selecting quick growing species for introduction into Indian waters so that a profitable yield will be possible within a reasonably short period. Species of Trichogaster and Tilapia were recommended for this purpose for the several saline coastal lagoons, more particularly the latter, as it can establish itself successfully in a variety of environmental conditions satisfying most of the requirements for culture in salt water. Since then efforts have been made to introduce the fish in South Indian waters. The first experimental consignment was brought by the Central Marine Fisheries Research Station from Thailand with the permission of the Government of India and the second by the Madras Fisheries Department from Ceylon. The need to formulate a national policy before the exotic Tilapia is introduced into our waters had also been pointed out by Panikkar (Ice. cit.) in view of the possible far-reaching consequences of such introduction without an adequate knowledge of the various interacting ecological factors.