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.
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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 redbreast tilapia
how to recognize it
Tall, compressed body, narrow head with a steeply sloping profile and a small mouth. Olive-green to brown color, with dark transverse blotches and a white, yellow or bright red belly. The dorsal fin has 15 to 17 spines. Males are larger, with elongated, pointed tips on the dorsal and anal fins; females have rounded fins. In Africa it looks very much like Coptodon zillii, but the rendali has a steeper head and less marked vertical bars.
Also called: tilápia-rendali, tilápia-do-congo, tilápia
don't confuse with:
where found
open on the large mapWhere to look: Calm, well-vegetated water, in river eddies, swamps, reservoirs, lagoons and canals; tolerates brackish water. Pairs dig a nest in a muddy or sandy bottom and guard the eggs and fry.
Exotic, native to Africa. Records in the natural environment in RS, SC, PR, SP, MG, RJ, MS, DF, PE and AP (the source gives no basin) and listed as exotic in the Araguaia-Tocantins, Paranaíba and São Francisco basins in Goiás. Outside Brazil, it is established in Mexico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, El Salvador, Colombia and Peru.
introduced in
states
São Paulo, Goiás, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, Paraná, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Mato Grosso do Sul, Distrito Federal, Pernambuco, Amapá
when to fish
best season
Spring and summer, when the water warms and pairs guard their nests; in winter, especially in the South and Southeast, activity drops sharply. FishBase gives 24 to 28 °C as the comfort range, with tolerance of 8 to 41 °C.
best time of day
Daytime. Mainly by day and in shoals; it feeds best in the warm hours of winter and early or late in the afternoon in summer.
what affects the redbreast tilapia
cold and cold fronts
Sensitive: below about 18 °C it eats little, although it survives very low temperatures without dying.
atmospheric pressure
Little effect.
moon
No significant effect.
rain
Cold rain shuts down activity.
water level
Little effect; look for banks with vegetation and eddies.
noise
Tolerant, used to pay lakes and reservoirs.
wind
A little chop helps; strong wind makes it hard to see the float.
depth
Shallow and near plants in heat; 3 to 8 m in cold.
how to fish
lures
- micro jig 1/32 to 1/16 oz
- nymph fly
- mini plug
natural baits
- corn and flour dough
- green corn
- minhoca
- pellet feed
- tender cabbage or lettuce leaf
tip from an angler
Fish next to aquatic plants with a feeding float and a small hook. The bite is that of a cautious herbivore: wait for the float to run and set the hook lightly.
- rod
- 1.8 to 2.4 m, 6 to 12 lb, or bamboo rod
- spinning / baitcasting reel
- spinning reel 1000 to 2500
- line
- monofilament 0.20 to 0.25 mm or braided 10 lb
- leader
- fluorocarbon 0.25 mm
- hook
- No. 8 to 2, short shank
accessories
- groundbait float
- groundbait made of pellet feed
- landing net
catch and release
Exotic: do not return it to environments where it does not yet exist, and never release live fish from a tank or fish farm into a river, lake or reservoir. Where local rules allow, prefer killing it for food.
rules for the redbreast tilapia
Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Releasing into a river, lake or reservoir without a license is an offense
introducing or releasing into the natural environment is banned without a technical opinion and a licenseconfirm with the agency details
Introducing an animal specimen, native or exotic, into the country or outside its natural range, without a favorable official technical opinion and a license from the environmental authority, is an offense (Decreto 6.514/2008, art. 25) and a crime (Lei 9.605/1998, art. 31). Releasing redbreast tilapia from a tank, fish farm or aquarium into a river, lake or reservoir falls under this, according to environmental agencies. Anglers catching the fish in the environment where it already lives should follow the local rule on releasing or killing it.
Mato Grosso do Sul: tilapias can be added to the bag limit
fish may be added to the limit of 1 fish + 5 piranhas, observing the closed seasonMS details
State Decree 15.166/2019, art. 7º, allows recreational anglers to add to their limit exotic, allochthonous and hybrid fish, including tilapias (Oreochromis spp. and Tilapia spp.), provided the closed season is observed. The list uses the old genus Tilapia, which included the redbreast tilapia (Coptodon rendalli).
Mato Grosso: introducing an exotic species without a license brings a fine
fine of R$6,000 to R$100,000, plus R$100 per kilo or fractionMT details
Art. 46 of MT's fishing law penalizes anyone who introduces native, exotic or non-native species without authorization or a license from the competent agency, or in breach of the license. It applies to releasing captive-raised fish into a river or lake.
Source: Lei estadual MT nº 9.096/2009, art. 46 (as amended by Lei nº 12.197/2023) - Sema-MT
Mato Grosso: catch and transport of exotic fish have their own resolution
under Cepesca Resolution nº 02/2024MTconfirm with the agency details
The official Sema-MT table (updated June 6, 2025) cites Cepesca Resolution nº 02, of March 7, 2024, which regulates the catch and transport of exotic fish in the rivers of the Paraguay, Amazon and Araguaia-Tocantins basins. We did not check the text of the resolution: confirm the conditions with Sema-MT before transporting. Transporte Zero under art. 19-B covers only the 12 native species on the list, none of which are tilapias.
Source: Resolução Cepesca-MT nº 02/2024 (cited in the Sema-MT table of Jun 6, 2025)
Mexico: up to 5 freshwater fish per day, no live fish as bait
5 freshwater fish per angler per day; 1 rod; no sale details
In Mexico's federal-jurisdiction inland waters, the limit for freshwater species is 5 fish per angler per day, with only one rod in operation. Using fish as live bait in inland waters is banned, and fish caught in sport fishing may not be sold. Each reservoir's committee may lower the limit and set sizes. The rule does not mention tilapia or give an exception for exotic species; fish above the limit may be caught if released alive (item 4.9.5).
Goiás: redbreast tilapia released in the Araguaia-Tocantins, Paranaíba and São Francisco basins
catch, kill and transport with no size or quantity limit; no saleGO details
IN Semad-GO nº 17/2026, art. 5º, allows the collection, killing and transport of the exotic, allochthonous and hybrid species in Annex II, with no size or quantity limit. The redbreast tilapia (Coptodon rendalli) is in Annex II for the Araguaia-Tocantins, Paranaíba and São Francisco basins. The fish may not be sold or processed, and a fishing license remains mandatory. Outside Annex II the zero transport limit of art. 2º applies, with on-site consumption of up to 5 kg per angler.
Source: IN Semad-GO nº 17/2026, arts. 2º and 5º and Annex II
Conservation: The Least Concern status applies to the native range, in Africa. In Brazil it is an exotic species and is not on the national list (Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667/2026); management aims to prevent new releases.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
estimated weight
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how we calculate
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01585, b = 3.0; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
more about the redbreast tilapia
African cichlid from the Congo basin and the southern part of the continent, it was the first tilapia introduced to Brazil: it arrived in 1950 through a São Paulo power company, and in 1952 through the São Paulo state Department of Agriculture, to stock reservoirs and control aquatic plants that clogged turbines. Farming lost ground to the Nile tilapia because it grows slowly and breeds early. It escaped, established itself and now has records in the natural environment in RS, SC, PR, SP, MG, RJ, MS, DF, PE and AP. It prefers calm, vegetated water; juveniles eat plankton, and adults eat leaves, stems and algae, plant debris, insects and crustaceans. It breeds fast and harms native fish when released outside farms. FishBase says it makes excellent food.
Family: Cichlidae · omnivore
fun facts
- It was the first tilapia to reach Brazil, in 1950, and was used to control aquatic plants in reservoirs.
- The population can double in about 4.5 years, according to a Brazilian survey.
- Both parents guard eggs and fry in a nest dug in the bottom, unlike tilapias that incubate in the mouth.
in the kitchen
FishBase describes it as excellent eating. White fillet, fried, baked or grilled, like other tilapias.
similar species
sources and references (11)
The season weights (months), the time of day and the sensitivities (cold, pressure, moon, wind, rain, tide, strong light, murky water and noise) are the app's editorial estimates, based on the literature below and on the field experience of anglers and guides. They are not official data nor a measurement made for this species, and they may vary by region and year. Closed seasons and legal rules appear in the rules section, with the norm and a link.
- scientific FishBase: Coptodon rendalli (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight relationship, depth, habitat, distribution, biology and IUCN status. Page checked on October 13, 2026. The common size and weight are editorial estimates for sport fish; the maximum length of 45 cm and the weight of 2.5 kg are as published. The depth range of the card (3 to 8 m) is FishBase's.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Coptodon rendalliNames by country and language.
- official Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667, de 27 de abril de 2026: Lista Nacional Oficial de Espécies da Fauna Ameaçadas de Extinção (peixes e invertebrados aquáticos)The species is not on the list. Checked in the DOU of April 28, 2026.
- scientific Moreira, E. A.; Silva, D. P. (2023). Uma dúzia de peixes: algumas espécies exóticas invasoras encontradas em águas brasileiras e seus impactos. Ciência Animal Brasileira 24: e-74647.Cards for exotic tilapias with records in natural environments in Brazil: occurrence, introduction, diet, impacts and identification features. Text checked on October 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: introduções de Coptodon rendalliList of introductions by country, with the entry into Brazil (1953, from Zaire) and the shipment from Brazil to Peru (1966). Page checked on October 13, 2026. The 1950 date used in the text comes from Moreira and Silva (2023).
- official Decreto nº 6.514, de 22 de julho de 2008, art. 25 (introdução de espécime animal sem licença), e Lei nº 9.605/1998, art. 31Text of art. 25 (wording from Decreto 6.686/2008) checked against a transcription of the legislation; art. 31 of Lei 9.605/1998 makes the same conduct a crime. Check the current text on the Planalto site.
- official Decreto estadual MS nº 15.166, de 21 de fevereiro de 2019 (pesca em Mato Grosso do Sul)Art. 7º: list of exotic and allochthonous species that may be added to the limit, including tilapias (Oreochromis spp. and Tilapia spp.). Official Gazette of Feb 22, 2019, checked on October 13, 2026.
- official Lei estadual MT nº 9.096/2009 (consolidada) - Política da Pesca de Mato GrossoArt. 46 (fine for introducing species without a license). Consolidated text checked on October 13, 2026.
- official Sema-MT: espécies proibidas, medidas mínimas e cota de captura de peixes em Mato Grosso (atualizada em 06/06/2025)Cites Cepesca Resolution nº 02/2024 on the catch and transport of exotic fish. Checked on October 13, 2026.
- official Modificação da Norma Oficial Mexicana NOM-017-PESC-1994, que regula a pesca esportivo-recreativa em águas federais (DOF de 25/11/2013)Items 4.6 b (one rod), 4.7 c (no live fish as bait), 4.9.2 (5 freshwater fish per day), 4.9.5 and 4.11 (no sale). Text checked on October 13, 2026; the rule does not mention tilapia.
- official Instrução Normativa Semad-GO nº 17, de 26 de maio de 2026 (defeso, cota e espécies de Goiás)Art. 5º and Annex II (exotic and allochthonous species released by basin). Text checked on October 13, 2026.
how we calculatewhere 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: