All fish / Cichlidae

Speckled Peacock Bass

Cichla temensis

Also known as speckled pavon, peacock bass, temensis peacock bass, three-bar peacock bass, painted peacock bass, tucunare acu, speckled peacock cichlid, paca peacock bass, ปลาพีคอกแบส, ikan raja, テメンシス, シクラ・テメンシス

The largest of the peacock basses, this powerful predator has a golden green body with three dark vertical bars and, in the speckled phase, rows of pale spots. It is famous as a sport fish and is kept by dedicated monster fish keepers who have room for its size and appetite.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

60 cm

Temperature

25 to 30 °C

pH

5 to 7

Smallest tank

2000 litres

Keep as

Singly or as a pair in a very large tank

Diet

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

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

10 to 15 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Amazon and Orinoco basins: Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru

Breeding

Pairs clean a flat surface or dig a pit, spawn openly and guard the eggs and fry fiercely. Breeding in home aquariums is very rare because of the space needed.

Good to know

Can exceed 80 cm in the wild and will eat any tankmate it can swallow, so it needs a huge tank with strong filtration. Introduced populations are a concern in some countries, so check local rules before keeping or releasing it.