It refers to a group of fish that is made up of several species can not be specified in detail, since it would be necessary to study in depth the most outstanding aspects of these species.
Its extraordinary qualities, such as accelerated growth, tolerance to high population densities, adaptation to captivity and a wide range of foods, resistance to diseases, quality white meat and wide acceptance, have aroused great commercial interest in world aquaculture. In addition, some research is being done on the properties of collagen present in its scales, which have low amounts of fat. These qualities are being applied for bone regeneration therapies.
They are warm-water fish that live in both fresh and salt water and can even get used to low oxygen waters. It is distributed as an exotic species throughout Central America, the southern Caribbean, southern North America and Southeast Asia. Considered long ago as a fish of low commercial value, today its consumption, price and future prospects have increased significantly.