Editing Nile perch (section)

==Description==
''L. niloticus'' is silver in color with a blue tinge. It has distinctive dark-black eyes, with a bright-yellow outer ring. One of the largest [[freshwater fish]]es, it reaches a maximum length of nearly {{convert|2|m|abbr=on}}, weighing up to {{convert|200|kg|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Kaufman|first=Les|author-link=Les Kaufman|title=Catastrophic Change in Species-Rich Freshwater Ecosystems: The lessons of Lake Victoria|journal=[[BioScience]]|volume=42|issue=11|pages=846–858|doi=10.2307/1312084 |jstor=1312084|year=1992}}</ref> Mature fish typically range from {{convert|1.21|–|1.37|m|abbr=on}}, although many fish are caught before they can grow this large.<ref>{{cite book|last=Wood|title=The Guinness Book of Animal Facts and Feats|publisher=Sterling Pub Co Inc.|year=1983|isbn=978-0-85112-235-9|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/guinnessbookofan00wood}}</ref>

[[File:Capitaine Nile Perch.jpg|thumb|right|alt=A juvenile Nile perch (''Lates niloticus''), postcard drawing by Mrs. Hopson, 1966, Lake Chad Research Station, Malamfatori, Nigeria]]

Adult Nile perch occupy all habitats of a lake with sufficient [[oxygen]] concentrations, while juveniles are restricted to shallow or nearshore environments. A fierce [[predator]] that dominates its surroundings, the Nile perch feeds on fish (including its own species), [[crustaceans]], [[mollusc]]s, and [[insect]]s; the juveniles also feed on [[zooplankton]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Lates_niloticus/ | title=Lates niloticus (Victoria perch) | website=[[Animal Diversity Web]] }}</ref> Nile perch use [[Shoaling and schooling|schooling]] as a mechanism to protect themselves from other predators.<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Lates niloticus (Nile perch)|url=https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/77994|access-date=2021-06-02|journal=Cabi Compendium|date=2022 |doi=10.1079/cabicompendium.77994 |last1=Witte |first1=Frans |volume=CABI Compendium |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Nile perch (Lates niloticus) - Species Profile|url=https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.aspx?speciesID=412|access-date=2021-06-02|website=nas.er.usgs.gov}}</ref>