The breeding characteristics, growth performance, survival rate and feed conversion ratio of the three species of Nile tilapia {Oreochromis niloticus), blue tilapia {O. aureus), red tilapia {Oreochromis sp.) and their different combination crosses were investigated. The present study emonstrates that: 1) the growth rates of O, aureus and red tilapia brood fish females were improved when they were crossed with males of O. niloticus; 2) the mean number of fry produced by females of O. niloticus was 1.2 and 1,3 times as that from O. aureus and red tilapia, respectively; 3) red tilapia inherited cold tolerance trait by back crossing with males O. aureus. This trait was transferred from O. aureus to a cold sensitive population of red tilapia; and 4) the hybrids of O. niloticus females x O. aureus males; red tilapia females x O. niltoicus males, O. aureus females x O. niloticus males, and red tilapia females x 0. aureus males exhibited positive heterosis values (hybrid vigour) in growth parameters and survival rate. Also, these hybrids used less feed to produce one unit of gain in body weight than their parents. Thereby, these hybrids were judged to be of high potential commercial value in fish farming.