Rarely bred in aquaria. In the wild pairs spawn on a flat, cleaned stone in shallow water; both parents guard, and after hatching they carry the larvae in their mouths to pits dug as nests.
Grow out 6 juveniles and let a pair form; separate the pair if others are harassed.
A 1500 L tank with a sponge or gentle filter, flat slate or rocks as spawning surfaces and a tight lid.
Warm, clean water, frequent water changes and protein-rich food.
About 9,000-15,000 eggs per kg of female; sticky 1.4 mm eggs hatch in about 78 hours at 28 °C. Spawns about every two months, with a peak at the start of the rainy season.
Parents move the wrigglers to pits and guard the free-swimming fry; feed newly hatched brine shrimp and crushed flake.
One breeding tank for the peacock bass, drawn to scale from the breeding guide.
Water: 24–27 °C · pH 6.5–7
A plan from the breeding guide and an adult size of 74 cm. Tank shape is a standard 2 : 1 : 1.2 box, at least 6 adult lengths long. Check each step in the guide above.
A row of tanks on their own stands for breeding the peacock bass in numbers.
In total: 3 tanks, about 8,300 L of water. A litre of water weighs about 1 kg, so check that the floor and rack can take the weight.
Sizes are worked out from the breeding tank in the guide. Tanks fit a standard 120 cm rack when they can; bigger tanks go on their own stands.
Males grow larger and develop a hump on the forehead (nuchal hump) as they mature.
Typical for open substrate spawners
Grow up a group and let a pair choose each other. Give them a flat stone or broad leaf.
The pair cleans the stone and lays rows of eggs. Both guard them.
Wrigglers hatch in 2–4 days and are moved to pits by the parents.
Feed baby brine shrimp several times a day. Parents often herd the fry.
Move fry to a grow-out tank before the parents spawn again.
A general guide for this breeding type. Days change with temperature and species.
Grow up a group and let a pair choose each other. Give them a flat stone or broad leaf.
Set up a virtual breeding tank and see what would likely happen.
An educational estimate from the breeding rules, not a promise.