Tilapia

Tilapia' is the common name for nearly a hundred species of cichlid fish from the tilapiine cichlid tribe. Tilapia inhabit a variety of fresh water habitats including shallow streams, ponds, rivers, lakes, and estuaries. Most tilapia are omnivorous with a preference for soft aquatic vegetation and detritus. Historically they have been of major importance in artisanal fishing in Africa and the Levant, and are of increasing importance in aquaculture (see tilapia in aquaculture). Tilapia often become problematic invasive species in new habitats, whether deliberately or accidentally introduced.

Nutrition

Tilapia have very low levels of mercury because it is a fast growing and short lived fish that mostly eats a vegetarian diet and therefore does not concentrate mercury found in prey. Farm-raised tilapia has very low levels of omega-3, the primary fatty-acid nutrient doctors look for in fish. Farmed tilapia also have high levels of omega-6 fatty acids. A diet with a high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 is suspected to cause inflammation. It is not clear if this poor ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 is due to the corn and/or soy based diets typically fed to farm raised Tilapia, natural fatty acid levels, or a combination of the two.