Tilapia belong to an entirely different family of fish than carp. Carp are cyprinids, while tilapia are cichlids. Both fish are omnivorous and cause problems if released into hospitable waters, since they breed prolifically and displace native species. Both carp and tilapia have been farmed successfully for thousands of years and are important commercial species where locally popular. As a food fish, carp has not become accepted in the U.S., but tilapia's flaky and delicious meat has found a ready market.