Abundant in Lake Taal, 1995 survey (Ref. 12165,13446), as part of gill net catch composition (Ref. 81207), collected from the lake in Laurel, Batangas as a living specimen (Ref. 81820). Found common in Laguna de Bay catch (Ref. 13460, 80824). Also found in the reservoirs of Lake Buhi and Binga (Ref. 13464); Lake Buluan (13492); Lake Naujan (Ref. 13446); Pampanga River, Paitan Lake and Pantabangan Dam (Nueva Ecija) (Ref. 109918). Museum specimens collected in 1983-4 from various localities, LRS-83111 (Ref. 13460). A local introduction. Migrated into Lake Mainit via the Tubay River, Mindanao (Ref. 4567, 50320, 13446, 81829), reported from Kalinawan River (Ref. 81829). Caused the extinction of 17 endemic cyprinid species and three genera of Lake Lanao (Ref. 12217, 13446, 81887). The loss of the endemic cyprinids has been attributed to the heavy predation by the species which was inadvertently stocked in the lake with Nile tilapia fingerlings coming from a government hatchery in Surigao del Norte (Ref. 48328). Also Ref. 5258, 41236, 48328, 95183.