PEACOCK BASS small

Cichla ocellaris There are 5 species of Peacock bass though some icthologist think there may be more. More popular as a game fish they have been introduced in several countries including the US in Florida. They need a big tank. I caught this one in Panama. The Peacock Bass, which is also known as the Peacock Cichlid, the Butterfly Peacock Bass and the Eye Spot Cichlid, is best known as a game fish. Peacock Bass have long bodies and deeply notched dorsal fins. They have large mouths and the lower jaw extends beyond the upper jaw. There is a large black eye spot encircled by a gold colored ring at the base of the caudal fin. Their background color is olive-green dorsally blending to yellow-white ventrally, with three darker bars on their sides, between which are a series of dark spots. A unique characteristic of the Peacock Bass is the deep indention that separates the hard spines from the soft rays on the dorsal fin. The front of the dorsal, upper caudal, and pectoral fins are gray to black, the anal, pelvic and the lower caudal fins have a red tint. White spots are present on the second dorsal and the upper lobe of the caudal fin. Large adults have a yellow-orange stripe which extends from their mouth to their caudal fin. The iris is deep red.