---
title: "Redbelly Tilapia"
description: "Coptodon zillii — Pesci. The redbelly tilapia (Coptodon zillii, syn."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/it/animal/redbelly-tilapia
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Redbelly Tilapia

> Coptodon zillii — Pesci. The redbelly tilapia (Coptodon zillii, syn.

- Scientific name: *Coptodon zillii*
- Category: `fish` (Pesci)
- Habitats: `freshwater` (Laghi e fiumi)
- iNaturalist observations: 2470
- Wikidata: [Q137396](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q137396)
- iNaturalist taxon: [611400](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/611400)

## Names

- en: Redbelly Tilapia
- de: Zilles Buntbarsch
- es: Tilapia africana
- fr: Tilapia à ventre rouge

## Countries with the most observations

TW (775), CN (279), HK (185), US (125), IL (116), EG (36), VN (31), MO (30), JO (10), KE (10), MA (10), TR (10)

## Summary

The redbelly tilapia (Coptodon zillii, syn. Tilapia zillii), also known as the Zille's redbreast tilapia or St. Peter's fish (a name also used for other tilapia in Israel), is a species of fish in the cichlid family. This fish is found widely in fresh and brackish waters in the northern half of Africa and the Middle East. Elsewhere in Africa, Asia, Australia and North America, it has been introduced as a food fish or as a control of aquatic vegetation. Where introduced, it sometimes becomes invasive, threatening the local ecology and species. The redbelly tilapia is an important food fish and sometimes aquacultured…

Text: Wikipedia (en), CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redbelly_tilapia

## Photo

![Redbelly Tilapia](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/redbelly-tilapia/medium.jpg)

Photo: observe-syz · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/373796171

## Machine access

`GET https://animalchecklist.com/api/v1/animals/redbelly-tilapia?lang=it` — see [openapi.json](https://animalchecklist.com/openapi.json).