Adult pair, measuring between 25 and 30 cm, in a clear forest stream, Singapore.

Family : CICHLIDAE
Species : Cichla orinocensis
Maximum Length : 62 cm

References :

The Peacock Bass, or Peacock Cichlid, is a native of South America including the Orinoco, Negro and Amazon river basins i.e. Venezuela, Colombia and Brazil. Regarded as a highly sought after and hard-fighting game fish, the species has been deliberately introduced into a number of waters in Singapore and West Malaysia by irresponsible anglers.

Predatory in nature, and likely to feed on smaller native fish species, the long term survival of Peacock Bass will likely have a negative impact on the aquatic ecology of its adopted home.

The species is easily identified by the dark vertical bars on the flanks, and the peacock 'eye' on the tail fin of adults.