# Help with my Blue Tilapia



## Ikemm7 (Jan 28, 2014)

HI,I've got 11 blue tilapia about 3 months ago and have kept them in a 100 gallon rubbermaid bin. My water quality isn't as clean as it could be but they seem very healthy. They are about about 10 inches long. I just saw tonight that one of my fish is light pink! I know blue tilapia can become pink in some spots, but it's whole body is pink. I've researched this and couldn't find any thing a blue tilapia becoming pink all over it's body. :-?

I don't know what variety blue tilapia they are. As far as I know they are "plain jane" blue tilapia. I don't know if certain varieties change color as they age. So far there is only one that I know of that is pink, the rest are dark blue for the most part of their body. I inspected every one of them when I bought them. They all were dark blue and the same. If anyone would like to help me out with this it would be much appreciated. :thumb: If someone is willing to help I will try to get a picture up of one of my normal looking ones; and a picture of the pink one. :fish:


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

What are your NItrates, Nitrites, Amoonia readings? I'd start water changes. 25% daily and see if that changes anything? I'm not familiar with Blue Tialpia. but hopefully someone will come along who is.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I looked them up with no luck...are these the tilapia that are raised for food? I'd need the scientific name. A 100G tank is probably not large enough for a 10" fish.


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

There is an Oreochromis species being kept in a species preservation program at the Toronto Zoo, where the dominant male is pink/red. http://s49.photobucket.com/user/BillD56 ... sort=3&o=4 I forget the species name, possibly esculentus.


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

Found this on the internets, maybe this is the fish?

"Blue tilapia (Oreochromis aureus) is also known as Israeli tilapia. It is an appreciate food fish and a common species in aquacultures worldwide. Blue tilapia is also sold as bait and aquarists keep it as a pet. Since Oreochromis aureus is such a popular food fish, it has been introduced by man to many other parts of the word through aquaponics, such as South East Asia and the Americas. The largest scientifically measured Blue tilapia was 45.7 cm in length. The maximal published weight is 2,010 grams. The caudal fin of the Blue tilapia has broad bright red or pink distal margin. During the breeding period, the head of the male fish will change into a bright metallic blue shade and he will also display a vermilion coloration on the edge of his dorsal fin and an intense pink coloration on the margin of his caudal fin. A breeding female fish will develop a pale orange color on the edges of her dorsal and caudal fins"


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