The Taiwan tilapia, a member of the genus Tilapia, is a highly disease-resistant, rapidly reproducing breed of fish. Moreover, qualities such as its tender flesh and lack of hidden bones quickly made it a favorite among the public, and tilapia became a major source of protein in impoverished Taiwan after the war.
學名「慈鯛」的吳郭魚，抗病性強、繁殖快速，再加上肉質細嫩以及沒有暗刺的特色，很快受到民眾喜愛，是戰後貧困的台灣社會重要的蛋白質來源。