Breeding adults are more greenish overall, have iridescent blue-green spots on the head and bright pinkish-red underparts.[1][14] This species very closely resembles the redbreast tilapia (C. rendalli) and the two are difficult to distinguish; many reports of introduced populations may involve either species.[3][4] The two have separate natural distribution (redbelly tilapia in the northern half of Africa, redbreast tilapia in the southern half), but through introductions their ranges now overlap.