Peacock bass is the common name in English for several species of tropical, freshwater fish of the genus Cichla native to the Amazon River basin of South America. These tropical fish are not true basses, but are rather cichlids. They also inhabit the waters of Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Malaysia, Panama, Singapore, Venezuela and parts of the USA (Guam, Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and the United States Virgin Islands).
Six species
There are six known species of peacock bass. The common names for these cichlids vary somewhat depending on region, stage of development and local anglers. The list that follows matches their taxonomic, binomial names (species names) with the common names most widely used in English speaking countries:
- Cichla temensis (speckled peacock bass but three-barred peacock bass while spawning)
- Cichla ocellaris (butterfly peacock bass)
- Cichla intermedia (royal peacock bass)
- Cichla orinocensis (no English name)
- Cichla monoculus (no English name)
- Cichla pinima (no English name)
There are many common names for these fish in Brazil, the country of their largest native region. The most popular of these is tucunaré (too-coo-nah-REH). In Spanish, the generic common name for these cichlids is pavόn (pah-VON).
Although science knows of only six species, some ichthyologists believe there may be as many as 12 in the freshwater lakes and rivers of South America.
The IUCN has never investigated the conservation status of any peacock bass species. Therefore they do not appear on its red list.
Physical traits
The speckled peacock bass is the largest species and can grow up to 100 centimeters (three feet, four inches) in length. The royal peacock bass is the smallest and grows to a maximum length of 55 centimeters (one foot, 10 inches). Also, most display three wide vertical stripes on their bodies and a spot on their tail fins that resembles the eyes on a peacock's tail feathers -- a feature which resulted in their English and Spanish common names. In addition, all adult males have a pronounced hump on their foreheads. Other physical traits can vary greatly depending on the species, individual and stage of development. These include but are not limited to: dark rosettes instead of stripes, light speckles and impressive shades of bright green, orange, blue and gold. The stripes, however, tend to fade in late adulthood.
Valued as gamefish
Sport fishermen have made these cichlids prized game fish for their fighting qualities, so much so that many travel agencies now arrange fishing trips to Brazil and Florida specifically to catch peacock bass.
Renowned American peacock bass fisherman and fishing author, Larry Larsen, refers to them as "freshwater bullies" due to their ferocious nature when hunting and their tendency to damage and sometimes destroy fishing gear when striking. Also, the most common techniques for catching them are similar to those for catching largemouth bass with the notable exception that peacock bass usually won't strike artificial worms -- a widely used lure among largemouth bass fisherman. In addition, fly fishing techniques, including lures such as poppers and large streamers, are becoming increasingly popular for catching these cichlids.
Despite their popularity among anglers, some naturalists have identified peacock bass as potential pests for causing ecological imbalances in some of their introduced areas.
Invasive species
More recently, peacock bass introduction in the Rosana Reservoir and upper Paraná River, both in Brazil, resulted in a 95 percent decline in native fish density and 80 percent decline in richness in only two years.
Few measures can protect native fish once peacock bass have been introduced: reduction in native species richness in lakes with introduced peacock bass was observed in all areas of each lake regardless of the presence of macrophyte refugia.After initial increase in abundance, introduced peacock bass often deplete local prey and resort to cannibalism.
Panama's Gatun Lake introduction
Cichla monoculus was introduced into Panama via a fresh water creek in the Rio Chagres drainage region unintentionally in the late 1950s (experts aren't certain of the exact date), causing significant damage to the native fish assemblage, by eliminating seven out of 11 previously common fish species and significantly reducing three others. Local extinctions and decrease in abundance of many species led to cascading second-order effects on zooplankton and tertiary consumer communities.
A well known aquarist and medical doctor began raising peacock bass in a small pond in his back yard for sale as aquarium fish. Within a year, heavy rains flooded the pond causing some fry to escape into a nearby creek which drained into Gatun Lake. By 1964, the lake and nearby rivers and creeks were overrun with the cichlids, providing sport fishing opportunities that hadn't existed previously. Since then, C. monoculus has become the dominant sport fish species in the area.
Florida introduction
In 1984, Florida officials deliberately introduced butterfly peacock bass and speckled peacock bass to the southern region of that state. There they prey on other non-native and invasive species such as the oscar, Midas cichlid, and the spotted tilapia. Also, their introduction now provides additional sport fishing opportunities for local anglers along with the common snook, largemouth bass and bluegill. While the butterfly peacock bass has flourished there, the speckled peacock bass has not. Therefore, it is now illegal to kill or possess speckled peacock bass in Florida.
Because of their tropical origins, peacock bass cannot tolerate low water temperatures. This has prevented them from becoming abundant outside of Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, and Broward counties within the state of Florida.
Aquaria
As is true of many Amazonian cichlids, this species is collected by some aquarists, widely across the United States. It is an aggressive species. Many cichlids are equally likely to eat any tankmate that fits in their mouth, but the peacock bass simply grows large, and has a proportionately larger mouth, so that it is a threat to many smaller companions.
Aquaculture
Tilapia farmers sometimes keep peacock bass to eat any spawn that occur among their fish. Spawning and brood-raising reduce the growth rate of the tiliapia.
Eating quality
Their eating quality is very good. Their flesh is white and sweet when cooked, and has very little oil, making it similar in taste to snapper or grouper. Also, they are not excessively bony. However, most professional American anglers recommend practicing catch and release for these species to protect their numbers in the United States. To help ensure this, Florida Wildlife and Game Commission officers strictly enforce bag limits for these fish.
Notes
- ^ Pelicice, F.M. and Agostinho, A.A. 2009. Fish fauna destruction after the introduction of a non-native predator (<italic>Cichla kelberi</italic>) in a Neotropical reservoir. Biol Invasions doi: 10.1007/s10530-008-9358-3
- ^ Latini, A.O. and Petrere, M., Jr. 2004. Reduction of a native fish fauna by alien species: an example from Brazilian freshwater tropical lakes. Fishery Management and Ecology 11:71-79
- ^ Santos, G.B., Maia-Barbosa, P., Vieira, F. and Lopez, C.M. 1994. Fish and zooplankton community structure in reservoirs of Southeastern Brazil: effects of the introduction of exotic fish. In Pinto-Coelho, R.M., Giani, A. and von Sperling, E. (eds) Ecology and human impact on lakes and reservoirs in Minas Gerais, with special reference to future development and management strategies. SEGRAC, Belo Horizonte, MG, pp 115-132
- ^ Gomiero, L.M. and Braga, F.M.S. 2004 Cannibalism as the main feeding behaviour of tucunares introduced in Southeast Brazil. Brazilian Journal of Biology 64(3b) doi: 10.1590/S1519-69842004000400009
- ^ Fugi, R., Luz-Agostinho, K.D.G. and Agostinho, A.A. 2008 Trophic interaction between an introduced (peacock bass) and a native (dogfish) piscivorous fish in a Neotropical impounded river. Hydrobiologia 607:143–150
- ^ Zaret, T.M. and Paine, R.T. 1973. Species Introduction in a Tropical Lake. Science 182(4111): 449 – 455.
- ^ Zaret, T.M. and Paine, R.T. 1973. Species Introduction in a Tropical Lake. Science 182(4111): 449 – 455.
- ^ Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. "Angler's Guide to Florida's Peacock Bass Fishery" . http://myfwc.com/Fishing/docum/butterfly.html . Retrieved 2008-05-15 .
9. Reference www.
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