Peacock bass: Difference between revisions

Peacock bass
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Perciformes
Family:	Cichlidae
Genus:	Cichla
Species:	C. orinocensis
Binomial name
	Cichla orinocensis;

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Revision as of 21:06, 16 January 2007

The peacock bass, Cichla orinocensis, also commonly known as the peacock cichlid and tucunaré (too-coon-a-ray) in Brazil, is a tropical, freshwater fish native to the Amazon River basin of South America (where it is known in Spanish as the "pavon"), and exists as a non-native species in Singapore, Peninsular Malaysia and the United States (specifically Florida and Hawaii).

Florida wildlife officials deliberately introduced two sub-species of peacock bass to southern Florida in 1984: these are the butterfly peacock bass (Cichla ocellaris) and speckled peacock bass (Cichla temensis) where they prey on other non-native invasive fish such as the oscar spotted tilapia and provide additional sports fishing opportunities for local anglers. However, because of its tropical origins, peacock bass cannot tolerate low water temperatures. This factor has prevented this species from becoming abundant outside of Miami-Dade and Broward counties within the state of Florida.

The peacock bass is prized as an angling game fish for its fighting qualities when hooked. Expert peacock bass fisherman Larry Larsen refers to it as a “freshwater bully” due to its ferocious nature and its tendency to damage fishing lures when striking.

However, in some of its adopted habitats, it has been identified as a potential cause for ecological imbalance. Although its eating quality is good, most professional American anglers recommend practicing catch and release for this species to protect its numbers in the United States.

As a member of the Cichlidae family, it can grow up to 62 cm in length and can be identified by three rosettes on its body, as well as what resembles peacock eyes on the adult's tail fin, a feature which gave it its common name. This species of cichla tends to turn a bright green when in adulthood. The males have a pronounced hump or bump on their foreheads once they reach adulthood, a feature common among cichlids.

In the aquarium

As aquarium fish they are voracious and predatory, eating any smaller tank mates, and may pick on others of equivalent size. They require live food as juveniles but later in their development will accept meaty, dry or frozen foods.

Most species of peacock bass grow to a length of two feet but the cichla temensis may grow as large as three feet. Adults need very large tanks (they must hold at least 240 gallons), however larger tanks are better.

Links and References

Florida Peacock Bass Fishing
FishBase.org, Peacock Bass
FloridaFisheries.com Peacock Bass
"Cichla orinocensis". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. 30 January. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Cichla orinocensis". FishBase. October 2005 version.

This Cichlidae-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

This Singapore-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

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-The '''peacock bass''', ''Cichla orinocensis'', also commonly known as the '''peacock cichlid''' and '''tucunaré''' (too-coon-a-ray) in Brazil, is a tropical, freshwater fish native to the [[Amazon River basin]] of [[South America]] (where it is known in [[Spanish]] as the "pavon"), and exists as a non-native species in [[Singapore]], [[Peninsular Malaysia]] and the [[United States]].
+The '''peacock bass''', ''Cichla orinocensis'', also commonly known as the '''peacock cichlid''' and '''tucunaré''' (too-coon-a-ray) in Brazil, is a tropical, freshwater fish native to the [[Amazon River]] basin of [[South America]] (where it is known in [[Spanish]] as the "pavon"), and exists as a non-native species in [[Singapore]], [[Peninsular Malaysia]] and the [[United States]] (specifically [[Florida]] and [[Hawaii]]).
-Florida wildlife officials introduced two sub-species of peacock bass, butterfly peacock bass (''Cichla ocellaris'') and speckled peacock bass (''Cichla temensis'') to the fresh water lakes and canals of southern [[Florida]] in 1984, where they prey on other non-native invasive fish such as the oscar [[spotted tilapia]] and provide an additional sports fishing opportunities for anglers. However, low water temperatures and intolerance of saltwater prevent this species from becoming abundant outside of coastal [[Miami-Dade]] and [[Broward]] counties.
+Florida wildlife officials deliberately introduced two sub-species of peacock bass to southern [[Florida]] in 1984: these are the butterfly peacock bass (''Cichla ocellaris'') and speckled peacock bass (''Cichla temensis'') where they prey on other non-native invasive fish such as the oscar [[spotted tilapia]] and provide additional sports fishing opportunities for local anglers. However, because of its tropical origins, peacock bass cannot tolerate low water temperatures. This factor has prevented this species from becoming abundant outside of [[Miami-Dade]] and [[Broward]] counties within the state of Florida.
-The peacock bass is prized as an angling gamefish for its fighting qualities when hooked. In some of its adopted habitats, it has been identified as a potential cause for ecological imbalance. Although its eating quality is good, most professional American anglers recommend practicing catch and release for this species to protect its numbers in the United States.
+The peacock bass is prized as an angling game fish for its fighting qualities when hooked. Expert peacock bass fisherman Larry Larsen refers to it as a “freshwater bully” due to its ferocious nature and its tendency to damage fishing lures when striking.
+However, in some of its adopted habitats, it has been identified as a potential cause for ecological imbalance. Although its eating quality is good, most professional American anglers recommend practicing catch and release for this species to protect its numbers in the United States.
-As a member of the [[Cichlidae]] family, it can grow up to 62 cm in length and can be identified by three rosettes on its body, as well as what resembles "peacock eyes" on the adult's tail fin, a feature which gave it its common name. This species of cichla tends to turn a bright green when in adulthood. The males have a prononced hump or bump on their foreheads once they reach adulthood, a feature not uncommon among cichlids.
+As a member of the [[Cichlidae]] family, it can grow up to 62 cm in length and can be identified by three rosettes on its body, as well as what resembles peacock eyes on the adult's tail fin, a feature which gave it its common name. This species of cichla tends to turn a bright green when in adulthood. The males have a pronounced hump or bump on their foreheads once they reach adulthood, a feature common among cichlids.
 ==In the aquarium==
-As aquarium fish they are voracious and predatory, eating any smaller tankmates, and may pick on others of similar size. They require live food as juveniles but later in their development will accept meaty, dry or frozen foods.
+As aquarium fish they are voracious and predatory, eating any smaller tank mates, and may pick on others of equivalent size. They require live food as juveniles but later in their development will accept meaty, dry or frozen foods.
 Most species of peacock bass grow to a length of two feet but the cichla temensis may grow as large as three feet. Adults need very large tanks (they must hold at least 240 gallons), however larger tanks are better.
 ==Links and References==
 * [http://www.flyfisherman.com/florida/wjpeacockbass/ Florida Peacock Bass Fishing]
 * [http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=457 FishBase.org, Peacock Bass]
+* [http://floridafisheries.com/Fishes/non-native.html#peacock FloridaFisheries.com Peacock Bass]
 * {{ITIS|ID=648359|taxon=Cichla orinocensis|year=2006|date=30 January}}
 * {{FishBase_species|genus=Cichla|species=orinocensis|year=2005|month=10}}