Editing Tilapia (section)

== Ecological agent ==
Tilapia serve as a natural, biological control for most aquatic plant problems. They consume floating aquatic plants, such as [[duckweed]] [[watermeal]] (''Lemna'' spp.), most "undesirable" submerged plants, and most forms of algae.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mobot.org/jwcross/duckweed/weed_control.htm|title=Aquatic Weed Control|last=Cross|first=John W.|work=The Charms of Duckweed|access-date=2012-09-15|archive-date=2012-09-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120921081544/http://www.mobot.org/jwcross/duckweed/weed_control.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> In the United States and countries such as [[Thailand]], they are becoming the plant-control method of choice, reducing or eliminating the use of toxic chemicals and heavy metal-based algaecides. However, their [[Tilapia as exotic species|environmental impact as an invasive species]] may outweigh their ecological benefit.<ref name="BradfordKroonRussel">{{cite journal | vauthors=((Bradford, M., Kroon, F. J., Russell, D. J.)) | journal=Marine and Freshwater Research | title=The biology and management of Tilapia mariae (Pisces: Cichlidae) as a native and invasive species: a review. | volume=62 | issue=8 | pages=902–917 | date=2 April 2011| doi=10.1071/MF10289 }}</ref> Their tolerance for a wide range of environmental conditions allow them to thrive in polluted or otherwise degraded aquatic habitats.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors=((Linde, A. R.)) | title=Invasive tilapia juveniles are associated with degraded river habitats. | journal=[[Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems]] | volume=18 | issue=6 | pages=891–895 | date=2 April 2008 | doi=10.1002/aqc.928 | bibcode=2008ACMFE..18..891L |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/230025332}}</ref><ref name="BradfordKroonRussel" /> [[Arkansas]] stocks many public ponds and lakes to help with vegetation control.{{cn|date=January 2025}} In Kenya, tilapia help [[Mosquito control|control mosquitoes]], which carry [[malaria]] parasites.<ref name=Petr2000>{{cite journal |last=Petr |first=T |year=2000 |title=Interactions between fish and aquatic macrophytes in inland waters. A review. |journal=FAO Fisheries Technical Papers |volume=396 | url = http://www.fao.org/docrep/006/X7580E/X7580E00.HTM}}</ref>

Tilapia can be farmed with shrimp in a symbiotic manner, positively enhancing the productive output of both.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Holanda |first1=Mariana |last2=Ravagnan |first2=Elisa |last3=Lara |first3=Gabriele |last4=Santana |first4=Gabriel |last5=Furtado |first5=Plinio |last6=Cardozo |first6=Alessandro |last7=Wasielesky |first7=Wilson |last8=Poersch |first8=Luis Henrique |date=2023-03-22 |title=Integrated multitrophic culture of shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei and tilapia Oreochromis niloticus in biofloc system: A pilot scale study |journal=Frontiers in Marine Science |language=English |volume=10 |doi=10.3389/fmars.2023.1060846 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2023FrMaS..1060846H |issn=2296-7745}}</ref>