Spotted tilapia

US fish and state coverage

Pelmatolapia mariae

A state link is a recorded source association, not a catch guarantee or confirmation that targeting is legal. Check current regulations with the responsible state agency.

Peak months
Typical depth
Typical size
Catch minimum
National record

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Biology, seasons and size reflect the canonical source record, which may contain Florida context. They are not state-specific guidance for every linked state. Missing fields remain unfilled.

Overview

Habitat summary
Prefers slow-flowing canals, ponds, and lakes; common throughout south Florida; may be increasing in some areas, but not as abundant in Miami-Dade County as in 1980s.
Diet
Feeding Habits: Omnivorous, feeding on wide variety of food items, although most stomachs contain detritus, diatoms, algae, and sand indicating this tilapia, like most others, feed low on the food chain.
Water type
freshwater

When to fish

Seasonality
Spawning Habitats: Unlike other tilapia in Florida, this tilapia is a substrate spawner that lays about 2,000 sticky eggs on hard, flat surfaces; both parents guard young aggressively until about one inch long; sexually mature at 7 inches; some observed spawning year around, but most spawning seems to occur in cooler months between November and March. Image Credit: © Diane Peebles Light yellow to bronze with 6-9 bars or spots along side; stouter but similar body and mouth shape to native sunfishes; small ones tend to have bars that turn into spots in larger fish (see photo); some have reddish markings on the chin or throat area, especially when spawning; sometimes erroneously referred to as

Where to fish

Habitat summary
Prefers slow-flowing canals, ponds, and lakes; common throughout south Florida; may be increasing in some areas, but not as abundant in Miami-Dade County as in 1980s.
Habitat zone
freshwater
Fishing zone
freshwater

How to catch

Not in the source.

Bait & lures

Not in the source.

Size

Not in the source.

Records

Recorded catches retain their source scope; state and world catches are not national records.

No record catch is in the source.

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Related states & places

Place links are planning context, not proof of local species presence. Florida city links marked local context follow existing directory relationships, not catch reports.

Source-linked directories

Real local listings currently cover Florida only. Boat-ramp, charter and creator links below follow existing Florida species relationships. Bait-shop links are city context only, not species-targeting evidence.

Boat ramps — Florida

Selected examples from 1580 source-linked directory records.

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Bait shops — Florida

Selected examples from 628 source-linked city-context records.

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Fishing creators — Florida

Selected examples from 1 source-linked directory records.

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Related species

Navigation links share a recorded scientific genus or a source state and water-type grouping. This is not a claim of identical habitat or legal targeting.

Source evidence by state

Legacy Florida source profiles

LoveToFish is a national fishing guide. Fish species coverage spans all 50 states. Ramp, charter, bait shop, and creator directories currently cover Florida. Verify current local regulations with the responsible agency.