In 1984, the Spotted Peacock Bass was introduced to Florida water ways through the official state game and wildlife program.

The Spotted Peacock Bass prefer still waters of the Amazon watershed in rivers and lagoons, but will avoid swift moving currents.

Peacock bass are most often found in among fallen timber or along the edges of waterways where brush and tress overhang the water.

However, the Spotted Peacock Bass is considered the same species as the Speckled Peacock Bass with the distinguishing feature being that it has a very distinct colour pattern. And as such it is likely to have the same habitat as that of the speckled Peacock Bass.

Despite once being a separate subspecies, it has since been classified as the same species as the Speckled Peacock Bass. we still give it its own coverage as many still consider it a separate species because of its unique appearance. All the techniques for the Speckled Peacock Bass are obviously the same, though the distribution is slightly different. If you come across a spotted peacock bass/pavon, send us a pic and let us know where you caught it so we can update our information.

The Spotted Peacock Bass is often found together in schools, but it is uncommon to land many fish from one school. The fish many also wander from one school to another. While this seems simple enough, the rainy season raises the water level, flooding many areas and dispersing the fish. Therefore, the dry season helps concentrate the fish, making it easier to catch them in lagoons.

In 1984, the Spotted Peacock Bass was introduced to Florida water ways through the official state game and wildlife program. The canals were considered substandard by local officials for any domestic fish when the first peacock bass was introduced. Peacock bass species are now expanding into these ecosystems and creating strains on some local fish as it has taken off in the Florida environment and has populated most of southern Florida lakes, canals and streams.

The habitat in Florida that the peacocks now live in are pretty much the same as that of the largemouth bass and compete with them for food. Florida waterways are pretty clear from debris as there is not a lot of the same dense forest material in Florida. However, the same fishing techniques used in South America will work in Florida and other regions in the world where Spotted Peacock Bass have been introduced.