Occurence of exotic tropical fish in the cooling pondage of a power station in temperate south-eastren Australia

Abstract

Three species of exotic tropical fish, the black mangrove or Niger cichlid, Tilapia mariae Boulenger, of West Africa; the convict cichlid, Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum (Gunther), of Central America; and the Jack Dempsey cichlid, Cichlasoma octofasciatum (Regan), of Central and South America, have been recorded from the cooling pondage of a power station in temperate south-eastern Australia. All three species are readily available in the local aquarium fish trade. Black mangrove cichlids and convict cichlids appear to have established self-maintaining populations in the pondage. and also occur in a creek below the pondage.