Wild Kelberi Peacock Bass (Cichla Kelberi) 2.5 to 3 inches

Kelberi Peacock Bass has long been regarded as the apex predator of the fish world. With the easily-distinguished golden coloration and relatively smaller adult size, their popularity is rapidly growing among aquarium hobbyists.

If you’re looking forward to adding this beautiful fish to your aquarium, here’s a comprehensive guide that will walk you through the detailed description of Kelberi Peacock Bass. Scroll down the page to the bottom and make a wise decision accordingly.

The Kelberi Peacock Bass (Cichla Kelberi) is native to tropical South America, specifically in the rivers of the Guianas, Amazon, and Orinoco Basins. These fishes were first introduced in the large coastal canals of Southeast Florida in 1984. However, they aren’t abundant in most of this state owing to the cold water.

Despite these fish having similar-looking and a common name to North American largemouth bass but are not closely related. The Kelberi Peacock Bass, which belongs to the genus Cichla, is referred to as a food and game fish in several parts of the world.

Like the Peacock Bass, they require large aquariums and should be kept by experienced and professional hobbyists.

Cichla kelberi looks different from all other species of the Cichla category owing to the presence of tiny light spots on the pelvic and anal fins and the lower lobe of caudal fins. They have three dark vertical bars on their sides. However, these sometimes wholly disappear when the fish reaches full maturity.

Kelberi Peacock Bass also features irregular dark blotches on the anterior abdominal side. With distinctive golden coloration and a much smaller adult size than other Peacock Bass of the genus Cichla, this fish doesn’t feature ocellated or black marks laterally on its head.

Breeding males feature golden color on their side, a green-colored head with no black spots, vertical black bars, a white chest, abdomen, and ventral aspect. The yellow color on the sides is interspersed with numerous little black spots dorsally. In addition, these also feature a dark grey nuchal hump.

Breeding females tend to boast yellowish or golden coloration on their sides and yellow on the cheek and gill covers. Their chest, abdomen, lower jaw, and the ventral side of the caudal peduncle are light yellow or white. Moreover, the female Kelberi peacock bass has light spots along its sides and a light caudal eyespot.