# Need help with interesting fish caught in a texas river



## =ACID RAIN= (Sep 9, 2008)

I caught these guys while dipnetting in the san jacinto river. I thought they were immature bluegill until I got a closer look. They look nothing like bluegill to me. Whatever the case, I'm no ichthyologist and google hasn't helped me much, so I thought y'all might be able to help me out. Thoughts?

Leftmost fish is young bluegill, other 3 are the ones I'm curious about. They didn't seem like centrarchidae to me, rather more like cichlids, native or not. Young can be deceiving though IMO.

Image is link to full-size:









edit: image fixed. Java made thumbnail not necessary.

I can try to get a clearer picture, but they are no longer afraid of me since I feed them (only 5 days!) and they dart around the glass at the front when I show up. Quick little buggers, and fat already...

Anyways, thanks folks, maybe you can shed some light on my mystery fish.


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## =ACID RAIN= (Sep 9, 2008)

I've been looking around some more, and is that young tilapia? Bear in mind they did have darker colors in the river, and vertical bars on the sides with fine stripes on the caudal fin.


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## Jonsea (Feb 22, 2007)

They definitely look like tilapia. Their body shape and mouths mostly.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

They have the tilapia spot in their dorsal ... too young to tell which one for me though.


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## =ACID RAIN= (Sep 9, 2008)

Ok, so the general consensus is that they are tilapia. Wow, never would have considered so many in my neck of the woods. These guys literally line the shore in the alligatorweed mats. I need to get out there with my large cast net LOL.


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## =ACID RAIN= (Sep 9, 2008)

Went ahead and let those guys go. They were too active for my tank, and starting to chew on plants LOL. They definitely went back in better shape than when I caught them


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## bac3492 (Jul 25, 2008)

Are tilapia a natural fish in your area? if not you probably shouldnt have released them. They take over everything and outcompete other fish. Australia is having a huge problem with them


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## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

be very careful before releasing any fish back into the wild... many states and even counties have very strict regulations and punishments can be severe for releasing any fish into any body of water.


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## Fire_Chair (Apr 7, 2007)

It's actually illegal to release the fish after you catch it. You're supposed to gut them and slit their throats. Sounds brutal, but the state doesn't want them to take over.


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## =ACID RAIN= (Sep 9, 2008)

I know that (about one semester from an environmental science degree at lamar university-beaumont tx, and already have an entomology degree at A&M) but they are so prevalent that I just said screw it. I watched them vastly outcompete the 2 bluegill in the tank, so I can only imagine how bad it is in the wild.

I'll be out there after the stagnant Ike waters pass through with my cast net, looking for adults. My wife loves tilapia fillets


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## =ACID RAIN= (Sep 9, 2008)

I went back today and on the first toss of the cast net caught 2 tilapia. One was about 4 inches and the other about 7. They're definitely growing. I wonder if they survive the winters very well. I suppose the population could be selecting for tolerance to winters temps.


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## bac3492 (Jul 25, 2008)

They kind of adapt anywhere it seems like, the dandy lions of the water


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