Stunting or growth retardation in tilapia has been
reported by several authors in experimental ponds as
well as natural water bodies due to over crowding,
limited food supply and other environmental stresses
As stunting of any organism to the extent
at which the ability of the living organisms is not
affected to perform vital functions to survive i.e. below
critical level of starvation, is a phenotypic change or
reversible process. The stunted fish can compensate the
growth including bone growth afterwards when they are
exposed to suitable environments and fed sufficiently