Checkerboard Cichlid
Dicrossus filamentosus
- Care level
- Advanced
- Adult size
- 5–9 cm
- Minimum tank
- 80 litres
- Temperature
- 26–30 °C
Species profile
Butterfly Peacock Bass
Cichla ocellaris
Common names: Butterfly Peacock Bass, Peacock Bass
Recognized speciesCichlids
Adult size
Up to 75 cm
Typical adult length 45–75 cm.
Up to 75 cm
Countries of origin
Good fit for your tank?
Good fit for
- Mature planted aquarium setups
- Specialist shrimp keepers
Think carefully if
- The aquarium contains shrimp-eating fish
- The tank is newly cycled
- Water conditions change frequently
A very large predatory cichlid requiring a public-aquarium-scale system, powerful filtration, and carefully chosen tank mates.
Appearance and Identification
A powerful elongate predator with three broad vertical bars, gold to olive colour, and a prominent eye-like spot on the caudal fin.
Peacock bass species are frequently confused. Adult bar pattern, opercular markings, lateral spotting, caudal ocellus, and known origin should be used together.
Adult males may become larger and develop a forehead hump during breeding, while females become fuller with eggs.
Tank Requirements
- Suggested filter
- About 7,200–9,000 litres an hour
- Suggested heater
- About 1800–2700 W for this tank
- Minimum tank volume
- 1800 litres
- Minimum tank length
- 300 cm
- Minimum group size
- 1
- Recommended group size
- 3
- Activity level
- High
- Flow preference
- Moderate
- Planting preference
- Moderately planted
- Hiding places
- Yes
- Lid recommended
- Yes
- Jumping risk
- High
Only very large custom aquaria are suitable. Provide several metres of swimming length, powerful filtration, high oxygen, a secure heavy lid, and open water with large wood or rock structures.
Behaviour and Tankmates
An active visual predator that swallows smaller fish and can injure tank mates during feeding or territorial disputes.
Can be kept singly, as a compatible pair, or in a group only in exceptionally large systems. Unequal-sized juveniles may cannibalise one another.
Pairs defend broad spawning areas, and adults may become aggressive in confined quarters.
Only combine with similarly large, robust fish that cannot be swallowed and that tolerate the same warm water. Avoid small fish, shrimp, and slow fragile species.
Water Parameters
Warm clean water with strong oxygenation and stable chemistry is required. Large adults produce heavy waste.
Parameter caveat
Do not buy juveniles for a normal home aquarium. Plan the adult enclosure, filtration, lifting access, and long-term feeding before purchase.
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Manual aquarium siphon and gravel cleaner
A manual siphon for routine aquarium water changes and accessible waste removal. The seller lists a hose approximately 1.6 m long.
Control the flow and keep the intake clear of fish and delicate planting. Clean the areas appropriate for your substrate and layout rather than disturbing the entire planted bed.
Daraz NepalCheck availability on Daraz
Feeding
- Diet types
- Carnivore, Predator
- Feeding frequency
- Daily
- Preferred foods
- Large carnivore pelletUse as the main balanced food once accepted.
- Whole shrimp, mussel, or fish fillet piecesOffer unseasoned marine-derived pieces in suitable sizes.
- EarthwormsA useful occasional whole-food item from a clean source.
- Frozen krillUse in rotation rather than as the sole diet.
A predatory piscivore that should be trained to balanced pellets and varied non-live whole foods.
Do not use feeder fish because of disease, nutritional imbalance, and injury risk. Avoid mammal and poultry meat.
Breeding
- Breeding type
- Egg Layer, Substrate Spawner
- Breeding difficulty
- Difficult
- Breeding temperature
- 28 °C
- Breeding pH
- 6.8
- Brood or egg count
- Several thousand eggs from a mature female.
- Incubation
- 3 days
- Parental care
- Biparental care
- Baby foods
- Newly hatched brine shrimpSuitable after yolk absorption for most cichlid fry.
- Crushed high-quality cichlid pelletIntroduce gradually as fry grow.
- Finely chopped frozen cyclopsUseful supplementary food for larger fry.
A biparental substrate spawner. A pair clears a broad site, lays a large clutch, and guards eggs, larvae, and fry aggressively.
Habitat and Origin
- Geographic origin
- French Guiana, Guyana, South America, Suriname
- Natural habitat
- Freshwater River, Lake, Reservoir
- Aquarium contexts
- Freshwater Aquarium, Species-Only Aquarium, Very Large Freshwater Aquarium
- Audience level
- Specialist
Classification
- Profile type
- Recognized species
- Genus
- Cichla
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Species group
- Cichlids, Fish, South American Cichlids
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Chessboard Cichlid
Dicrossus maculatus
- Care level
- Advanced
- Adult size
- 5–10 cm
- Minimum tank
- 100 litres
- Temperature
- 26–30 °C
Demon Eartheater
Satanoperca jurupari
- Care level
- Advanced
- Adult size
- 18–25 cm
- Minimum tank
- 500 litres
- Temperature
- 24–29 °C
Dwarf Flag Cichlid
Laetacara curviceps
- Care level
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 5–8 cm
- Minimum tank
- 80 litres
- Temperature
- 23–28 °C