Blue peacock bass
Cichla piquiti
Also known as Piquiti peacock bass, Azul peacock bass
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 77–86°F (25–30°C)
- pH
- 6.0–7.5
- Adult size
- 18.9 in (48 cm)
- Minimum tank
- 396 gal (1,500 L)
- Temperament
- Aggressive
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Tankmates
- Tankmates with caution
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Difficult
- Breeding
- Hard
- Rarity
- Common
- Origin
- Tocantins and Araguaia basins, Brazil
- Family
- Cichlidae
Overview
A peacock bass in cooler colors and the same enormous commitment as the rest of the genus. It reaches nearly 50 centimeters, hunts by pursuit and needs a tank measured in thousands of liters rather than hundreds. Keep one, or a group large enough to spread aggression, with tankmates it cannot swallow. Feed prepared and frozen meaty foods on a schedule, never live fish. This is not a community animal.
In the wild
Cichla piquiti lives in the Tocantins and Araguaia basins of Brazil, in warm open water along river channels and reservoirs. Keep it at 25 to 30 degrees Celsius and pH 6.0 to 7.5, with heavy filtration to match the feeding load and a very long swimming run.
Good to know
Cichla piquiti reaches about 48 centimeters and is marked with dark vertical bars over a steel-blue body rather than the gold and green of most peacock bass. It is a substrate spawner with biparental care. Introduced populations outside its native basins have caused serious damage to local fish communities.
Did you know
Piquiti is its Tocantins river name; the trade's blue is the fish's own word first.
Common questions
What size tank does a Blue peacock bass need?
A Blue peacock bass needs at least 396 gal (1,500 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH do Blue peacock bass need?
Blue peacock bass are comfortable at 77–86°F (25–30°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.
How big do Blue peacock bass get?
An adult Blue peacock bass reaches about 18.9 in (48 cm).
Where to buy
Some links may not be the exact species or variety.
- Imperial Tropicals Freshwater fish and inverts bred at a Florida hatchery
- The Wet Spot Tropical Fish Large selection of quarantined tropical freshwater fish, with live arrival guarantee and Next Day Air flat rate shipping to all US locations
…or ask your local fish store.
Appears in
Keeping Blue peacock bass?
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Related species
Kelberi peacock bass
Cichla kelberiFreshwater23.6 in (60 cm)396 gal (1,500 L)77–86°F (25–30°C)Orinoco peacock bass
Cichla orinocensisFreshwater24.4 in (62 cm)528 gal (2,000 L)77–86°F (25–30°C)
Xingu peacock bass
Cichla melaniaeFreshwater14.2 in (36 cm)317 gal (1,200 L)77–86°F (25–30°C)Monoculus peacock bass
Cichla monoculusFreshwater27.6 in (70 cm)528 gal (2,000 L)77–86°F (25–30°C)
Butterfly peacock bass
Cichla ocellarisFreshwater29.1 in (74 cm)211 gal (800 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Speckled peacock bass
Cichla temensisFreshwater39 in (99 cm)396 gal (1,500 L)79–84°F (26–29°C)