redbelly tilapia
Coptodon zillii · Cichlidae · omnivore
Tilapia native to Africa, exotic in Mexico, where it was introduced and may have an ecological impact. Reaches 40 cm.
Also called: tilápia-barriga-vermelha, mojarra, mojarrita, redbelly tilapia
- maximum
- 40 cm
- record/max.
- 0.3 kg
- depth
- 1–7 m
the right time
to be on the water
Choose the place and the species. The index, from 0 to 100, combines weather, sun, moon and tide with each fish's habits. Up to 28 days, with each day's confidence.
Reading the weather across 3 global models and 31 simulations…
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hour by hour
slide your finger or mouse over the chart to see each hoursee hour-by-hour table
why this index at —?
choose the day
Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
the fishing month at a glance
what's the best window for the crew?
Choose how many fishing days. We compare each stretch by its average index, discount days with a warning or closed season, and show the 3 best.
trend for the coming weeks
Line: the middle value of 31 simulations of the American GEFS model. Band: where 8 out of 10 fall. Narrow, firm trend; wide, high uncertainty.
everything about the redbelly tilapia
who is the redbelly tilapia
The redbelly tilapia is of the family Cichlidae and reaches 40 cm. It is native to Africa, where it lives in rivers, lakes and shallow areas with vegetation, and was introduced to Mexico, where it is exotic. It tolerates wide variations in water quality and temperature, and even marine conditions. It forms occasional schools, and adults prefer shallow areas with vegetation. It eats mostly plants, leaves and algae. Both parents care for the spawn, which is laid in a cavity in the mud, and the young swim freely a few days later.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the redbelly tilapia; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- Several countries report a negative ecological impact after its introduction.
identification
Deep-bodied tilapia from fresh and brackish water, reaching 40 cm. The body is olive brown with a bluish sheen, and the belly is usually bright red. It has dark vertical stripes, green lips and fins with yellow spots. These traits help set it apart from other tilapias.
where found
Native to Africa and Eurasia; in Mexico it is exotic, where it was introduced.
Habitat: Shallow areas with vegetation, in rivers, lakes and brackish water.
when to fish
best time of day
Daytime. It is mainly active during the day.
rules for the redbelly tilapia
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
It is not dangerous to anglers, but the spines of the dorsal fin can prick the hand. It is an exotic species and can become a pest: do not release it in water where it is not native.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01514, b = 2.99; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Coptodon zillii (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Coptodon zilliiNames by country and language.
similar species
where each number comes from
The weather comes from three independent global models, cross-checked hour by hour: when they agree, confidence goes up; when they diverge, the band between them shows on the chart. Beyond 16 days, we use the GEFS ensemble of 31 simulations: if 20 of the 31 predict rain, the chance of rain is 65%. Sun and moon are calculated astronomically, with no uncertainty.
The index adds up, weighted for each species: time of day (species curve anchored to real sunrise and sunset), moon (transits, rise and set, phase), pressure (3 h trend and 24 h swing), water temperature (in rivers, estimated from air temperature; at sea, estimated by an ocean model), wind, rain, clouds, tide and the month in the species' cycle.
sources for this lookup
how accurate the forecast is
Accuracy measured in the reference project (4 regions, 93 days, forecast vs. observed): maximum temperature is off by 0.6 °C on average the next day and 1.7 °C at 7 days; rain of 5 mm or more is detected 76% of the time the next day and 57% at 7 days. Detection isn't everything: the false alarm rate isn't published here yet, and 93 days in 4 regions is still a small sample. We now also measure every day, at the app's destinations: