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Nile Tilapia
Photo: Germano Roberto Schüür · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
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Nile Tilapia

البلطي

Bolti

Beginner✓ CommonCichlidae

Bolti (Nile tilapia) is the everyday fish of Egypt — the most eaten and most farmed freshwater species, native to the Nile and abundant in Lake Nasser, Lake Qarun and the delta. Several local variants are distinguished (Bolti nily, galily, azrag, akhdar). A reliable catch for shore and small-boat anglers on light gear.

Local names · what anglers actually call it

البلطيBolti

Nile tilapia; FishBase Egypt entry 'Bolti Nalawi'. Lake Nasser variants: Bolti nily, galily, azrag, akhdar

source: FishBase Egypt + WorldFish

Size

15–45 cm

Depth

0–20 m

Record weight

up to 4 kg

Habitat

Nile, lakes, canals, brackish lagoons

Best seasons

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Fishing techniques

Float fishingBottom fishing

Baits & lures

BreadDoughWormsVegetable matter

Did you know?

Tilapia are mouth-brooders — the parent carries the fertilised eggs and young inside its mouth for protection. The fish appears in ancient Egyptian art as a symbol of rebirth.