Some Quick Facts About Peacock Bass - "The Freshwater Bully" :

PEACOCK BASS

The Freshwater Bully

What is a Peacock Bass?

A peacock bass is a large predatory fish from the cichlid family whereas the Large Mouth bass in North America are from the Centrarchidae family. Despite their names and similar appearances both species are NOT closely related.

In Brasil, the peacock bass are very widely referred to as tucanare and here is where you can find the highest concentration of these fish.

All Peacock Bass share the same spot on their tale. this spot is strategically placed to confuse predators by mimicking an eyeball. This spot also resembles the spot on a Peacock's tail- hence the name.

The Peacock Bass is widely recognized for its fighting capabilities and its highly aggressive behavior. They are referred to as "water bullies" since they have been known to damage and even destroy lures when striking.
there is no surprise why sport fisherman from all over the world come to the amazon to fish these special creatures.

How many types/species of Peacock Bass are there?

Traditionally only 5 species were recognized ( Royal, Speckled, Rainbow, 3 Striped, and tucunare) . In general most species are very similar in metrics/size and only differ in colour pattern.

Currently, there are 15 species of cichla recognized with one undescribed species located in the Paru rivers in Brasil.

Many of these types of Peacock Bass can be found in the Uatumã and Japatpu rivers.

What was the biggest Peacock Bass ever caught and what type?

The biggest of the peacock bass is the speckled peacock Bass.
The biggest peacock bass ever recorded was a 27lb 3 foot long speckled peacock bass on the rio negro in brasil.

The rio negro and rio Uatumã have the highest concentration of this specific type. Therefore, catching big peacock is not a dream but ,with us, it is a reality.

Come fishing for peacock bass and have the fishing trip of a lifetime !

What is their conservation status and are they good to eat?

The peacock bass is actually considered an invasive species in Brasil. Their introduction in the Parana rivers in Brasil led to. 95% native fish species reductions and 80% decline in richness in only 2 years.

In the united states, efforts and measures have been put in place to protect these fish especially in florida - since they have been introduced to kill other non native species i.e. tilapia

Sports fishing also is a key factor in preserving these fish and their populations. With our fishing outfit included, most fisherman practice catch and release as to maintain the numbers and to catch an even bigger peacock bass the following year!

As far as if Peacock Bass are good to eat? They are! The peacock bass is not very bony and has a taste that is not overly "fishy". The people in the amazonas quite enjoy eating these fish compared to others.

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