Coptodon is a genus of cichlids native to fresh, brackish and coastal marine waters in Africa with C. zillii also found in the Middle East.

[3] Although the individual species typically have different nonbreeding and breeding colors, the sexes are alike.

[2][4] Unlike the well-known oreochromine tilapia that are mouthbrooders, Coptodon spp.

mostly feed on plant material (both phytoplankton and higher plants) and detritus with smaller quantities of invertebrates, but in Lake Bermin and Lake Ejagham, a level of segregation has occurred among the species, including specialists that mostly feed on sponges (C. gutturosa and C. spongotroktis), small fish (C. ejagham), or zooplankton (C.

[2][4] C. rendalli and C. zillii have been introduced widely outside their native ranges, and are considered invasive, but most remaining members of the genus (including four endemics in Lake Ejagham and nine in Lake Bermin) have small ranges, and many species are seriously threatened.