Above: In the picture a premium quality Ocellaris Peacock Bass Cichlid is swimming in one of our home aquariums.

Origin: The ancestors of this fish lived in Central America or Northern South America, but now they live in aquariums and ponds throughout the world.

Maximum Size: In very large aquariums, Peacock Bass can grow to be about 24" to 30" long, including their tails, which is a very large size.

These fish also live in large ponds.

Behaviors: Peacock Bass are usually not too aggressive, but from time to time males have long energetic battles.

This fish will swallow any fish that will fit into its mouth.

Compatibility: Some recommended tank mates include other large South American Cichlids, Synodontis Catfish, and large Plecostomus.

They will eat anything that will fit in their mouths.

Click here for more about Synodontis Catfish.

Click here to read more about compatible groups of pet fish.

Temperature: Peacock Bass live best from about 75 to 80-degrees F. with 78 being perhaps ideal.

Click here to learn about aquarium temperature, aquarium thermometers, and aquarium heaters.

Feeding: Premium Fish Food Pellets is the best food for this fish.

Smaller sized pellets when this fish is small, and larger sized pellets when large.

Click here to learn more about and shop online for premium fish foods.

Water Conditions: These fish can adapt to many water conditions, and so as usual it's best not to try to change the pH or hardness.

Click here for a lot more information about aquarium water conditions.

Aquarium Size: When small a few Peacock Bass can live for a while in an aquarium with 30 to 60-gallons of water but will soon need a much bigger aquarium.

Eventually a single Peacock Bass will need a huge aquarium with at least 250-gallons of water.

An even bigger aquarium or pond will be better.

Decor: Most Peacock Bass eventually live in a pond or a bare aquarium with no gravel or plants.

Click here for more about aquarium gravel.

Live plants are beautiful and improve the water quality, but Peacock Bass will usually rip plants up, so most aquariums with large Peacock Bass do not have rooted plants but sometimes do have floating plants.

Aquarium Filter: Bio-Wheel Filters are highly recommended for aquariums up to about 250-gallons.

A 30 to 60-gallon aquarium with one or two Penguin 350B Filters is a good home for a few small Peacock Bass.

But soon they'll need a much bigger aquarium with as many Penguin 350B Filters as will fit across the back.

Eventually they'll need an immense aquarium or large pond with a large powerful filtering system.

Click here to learn more about aquarium filters.

The addition of Lava Rocks will keep nitrates in the ideal range.

Click here to learn more about using Lava Rocks in aquariums.

Life Span: Peacock Bass can live for several years.

Keep the water conditions excellent and feed them premium foods, and they can live for many years.

Gender: It's difficult to tell males from females, but a male will grow larger with longer more pointed fins, more intense coloration and usually grow a bump on his head.

Breeding: Peacock Bass are Substrate Spawners, the female lays eggs on the substrate, which is usually on some flat rocks, then the male fertilizes eggs, and both the male and female protect the eggs.

We have found no reports of them reproducing in an aquarium, but they have been spawned many times in ponds by skillful fish farmers.

Click here for a lot more about breeding various tropical fish in aquariums.

Popularity: These fish are very popular game fish and are stocked in ponds to be caught with fishing poles.

They are also surprisingly popular as aquarium fish.

Names: The scientific name for the Peacock Bass is Cichla ocellaris.

Variations: There are many variations of the Peacock Bass fish, and these variations are now thought to be closely related species or subspecies.

Some experts think there are just a few species, but other experts think there are several species.

We hope you've enjoyed reading these comments.

DrT - 01/24/2018