May 7, 2026

Singapore, though a relatively young city-state, boasts a rich animal history that reflects its evolving relationship with nature amidst rapid urban transformation. In ‘Tilapia, Travel, and the Making of a Singaporean Creature’, the first chapter of Singaporean Creatures: Histories of Humans and Other Animals in the Garden City (NUS Press, 2024), edited by Associate Professor Timothy Barnard (NUS History), Assistant Professor Anthony Medrano (formerly Yale-NUS Environmental Studies & NUS History) delves into the story of the common tilapia. The chapter traces the arrival of this non-native species to Singapore, its adaptation to the local environment, and how it has been firmly integrated into the island’s ecosystem.

The common tilapia, a member of the cichlid family, accounts for nearly 20% of the freshwater fish species on the island today. Originally known as ikan moedjair, it gained popularity in East Java in the late 1930s due to its prolific reproduction rate and adaptability to diverse aquatic habitats. In 1944, the Japanese administration introduced tilapia, a reliable food source, to Singapore as part of wartime measures to bolster food security. By March 1945, tens of thousands of tilapia, locally referred to as ikan tas, were thriving in 42 ponds across the island.

The fish’s popularity waned in the post-war period with the resurgence of inter-Asia trade, which reintroduced a variety of fish and other seafood to the market from other countries. Despite this decline in consumer preference, the Malayan Fisheries Department continued to promote tilapia as a vital economic species for post-war recovery. Efforts included cultivating the fish in brackish mangrove waters to mitigate its earthy flavour and strategic media campaigns. By the 1950s, Singaporean producers had become significant suppliers of tilapia across the region, embedding the species into local aquatic ecosystems and regional protein supply chains. The common tilapia’s legacy as a staple of Singapore’s aquatic ecosystem was solidified in 1961 when the Raffles Museum included it in its checklist of local freshwater fish species, marking its integration into Singapore’s biodiversity.

Today, tilapia can be found throughout Singapore. Beyond its historical role as a food source, it has become a regular part of the diet of non-human creatures, playing a vital role in supporting local biodiversity. By studying the interactions between native and non-native species over time, A/P Medrano highlights the complexities of biodiversity change through the study of diasporic species, offering valuable insights into environmental history and conservation research efforts.

Read the chapter here.