All fish / Cichlidae

Butterfly Peacock Bass

Cichla ocellaris

Also known as peacock bass, peacock cichlid, butterfly peacock, eyespot cichlid, ocellated peacock bass, tucunare, pavon, peacock bass cichlid, ปลาหมอสี ค็อกแพนเทอร์, ปลาพีค็อกแบส, ikan raja, ピーコックバス

A large, powerful predatory cichlid with a golden green body, dark vertical bars and a striking black eyespot ringed in gold on the tail. It is kept by keepers of monster fish for its bold colour, intelligence and active hunting behaviour, and is also a prized sport fish.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

50 cm

Temperature

24 to 30 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Smallest tank

1000 litres

Keep as

Single specimen or a pair in a very large tank

Diet

Carnivore: whole fish, prawns, mussel, earthworms and large carnivore pellets

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

10 to 15 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Guianas and the Essequibo, Maroni and nearby coastal river basins of northern South America

Breeding

Pairs clean a flat surface, spawn in the open and guard eggs and fry fiercely for several weeks. Breeding happens in ponds and fish farms but is rarely achieved in home aquariums because of the space required.

Good to know

Grows to well over 50 cm and will eat any fish it can swallow, so it needs a huge tank and strong filtration. It has been introduced to Florida, Hawaii, Singapore, Malaysia and elsewhere, and keeping or releasing it may be restricted locally.