The only time that the male and female can be differentiated, other than size, is during spawning when the male Peacock Bass grow a large nuchal hump on the top of its head.

The spawning period for the Spotted Peacock Bass runs from April to September, but will peak during May and June. However, Florida’s Peacock Bass spawning starts several months earlier than their South American Peacock.

Spawning occurs when the water temperature is between 78°F and 82°F/25°C to 28°C. Both fish work at making a flat, hard surface near shore where the female lays between 4,000 and 10,000 eggs.

When the eggs are laid, they attach themselves to the hard flat surface and stay there until they hatch. When the young hatch, both adults look after their young for several months after hatching and are very agressive at defending them.

It is not unusual to see two adult peacock bass and with 1,000 young fry swimming along in the Amazon rivers. It is only when the fry reach about three inches, or ten weeks do the parents depart and leave the fry to look after themselves. Once on their own, the fingerling seek out shelter in and among weeds for the first year where they will rapidly grow to about 14 inches, though most on average grow at an inch a month, some can grow as much as two inches in a month.

The young Spotted Peacock Bass continue their rapid growth rates for the first several years until they reach three pounds and reach an average size of six to ten pounds in South America, but can reach as large as 28 pounds.

The only time that the male and female can be differentiated, other than size, is during spawning when the male Peacock Bass grow a large nuchal hump on the top of its head.

It’s All About Family

We have had several emails asking us why the spotted bass has a section dedicated to itself when it is merely a variant of the Speckled Peacock Bass family (Cichla temensis). Simly put, there are enough anglers that classify it as a separate species and look for it as such.

Moreover, still others do not believe that the Spotted Bass exists so we present the spotted bass in its own separate area and identify it as the same species as it was classified. Bass Fishing Gurus’s mission is to support and supply anglers with the information they need to enhance their fishing experience. Should their be enough information and demand to add other section for another species variant, we will do so.