Reliable data on tilapia nutrition and feeding are scarce. In the best documented field, that of protein requirement, current data show good agreement with available information on coldwater and warmwater fishes. Various feedstuffs have been used to satisfy the protein needs, but the effects of variations of their quality have not been sufficiently studied. The main problem lies in the assessment of the effects of natural food in open rearing structures; thus there are some discrepancies with the results obtained in laboratory. More insight on in situ nutrition of pond fish, as well as the management of the feedstuffs and feeding practices is needed.