In their introduced US range, blue tilapia are usually 5 to 8 in (13 to 20 cm) in length,[1] and reach weights up to 5 to 6 lb (2.3 to 2.7 kg).[5] The largest recorded specimen was more than 21 in (53 cm) long and weighed more than 10 lb (4.5 kg).[5] Blue tilapia are mouthbrooders, and broods range from 160 to 1600 eggs per female.[3] O. aureus is primarily herbivorous, but occasionally consumes zooplankton;[3] the young include small invertebrates in their diet.[2]