Overview
They are characterized by an irregular black stripe which runs laterally along the full length of the midsection of the fish and is crossed intermittently by a series of six to eight fainter black oval shaped spots. This is the only Cichlid that has more than three black bars.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Order
- Cypriniformes
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Genus
- Cichla
- Species
- intermedia
Habitat
Blackstriped peacock bass primarily inhabit freshwater rivers, lakes, and tributaries in the Orinoco and Amazon basins of South America. They prefer warm, slow-moving waters with structures like submerged logs, rocks, and vegetation for cover and ambush hunting. These fish thrive in areas with sandy or muddy bottoms and moderate water temperatures.
Diet
They mainly consume smaller fish, crustaceans, insects, and occasionally frogs or worms. Feeding behavior involves ambushing prey in shallow waters, with peak activity at dawn and dusk. This predatory diet makes them aggressive and efficient hunters in their ecosystem.
Behavior
Blackstriped peacock bass are territorial and aggressive, particularly during spawning, often defending specific areas in rivers or lakes. They are mostly solitary or in small groups and exhibit high activity levels at dawn and dusk. These fish are known for their explosive strikes and strong fighting ability when caught, making them exciting for anglers.
Fishing
As a point of interest, while the blackstripe pavon is less frequently encountered by anglers, most experienced pavón fishermen feel that pound for pound C. intermedia is the gamest of the pavónes. Like the speckled and butterfly peacocks, it is easily caught on spinning, bait-casting or fly rod tackle. And, like the other peacocks, it is a superior foodfish.
Conservation Status
Listed as Not Evaluated by IUCN.