The geographical distribution of the African Tilapia Oreochromis mossambicus in Suriname is restricted to a narrow strip of land along the Atlantic coast. Within the coastal plain, O. mossambicus occurs in brackish lagoons, oligohaline canals, and shell-sand pit lakes. Physico-chemical characteristics and phytoplankton composition of representative Tilapia water bodies are described. Blue-green algae and fine flocculent detritus are dominant food items in the diet of the Tilapia, while Rotifera and microcrustacea are also important in the diet of larvae and juveniles. Intraspecific diet overlap among ontogenetic stages of the Tilapia did not differ significantly from 1, which means that these diets showed complete overlap. Interspecific diet overlap between the Tilapia and the indigenous armoured catfish Hoplosternum littorale were moderate or low. The results are discussed in relation to recent developments in the Surinamese fisheries and aquaculture sector.
Oreochromis mossambicus; Hoplosternum littorale; distribution; diet overlap; competition; Suriname