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Description
The tucunare (Cichla pleiozona) has a relatively tall, slightly laterally flattened body, with a humped back. Like all cichlids, the Peacock Bass has a double dorsal fin: the first part is high, rigid and spiny, while the second is lower, slightly rounded and supple.
Its green coat on the back shades to yellow on the lower flanks, while the belly is white. The sides are barred with four vertical lines, which is the main characteristic of the species. An occipital bar (between the eyes) may also be present.
Sexual dimorphism is very marked: males sport an impressive forehead hump, which can turn reddish as they approach breeding. This hump is the main distinguishing feature between males and females.
The average size of a tucunare is around 2 kg, with some individuals exceeding 3 kg.
Behavior
Tucunares generally form groups of around ten individuals of similar size. These groups like to move through flooded vegetation, hunting small fish that take refuge there. When water levels drop, the groups begin to disperse into the main river bed: this is the best time of year to catch them.
At the end of the dry season, a few weeks before the first rains, the fish form pairs and build their nests on a sandy bottom. The adults lay their eggs and protect them until the juveniles reach 2-3 cm in length. By this time, the rivers have usually flooded back into the surrounding jungle, offering plenty of hiding places from predators.
Power supply
Juveniles are almost exclusively insectivorous, becoming piscivorous at around ten centimetres. It is a formidable hunter, perfectly capable of coordinating to corner its prey or drive it out of cover. It is therefore not uncommon to observe several individuals hunting the same prey together, in order to optimize their chances of success. They are most active in the morning and late afternoon, while during the hottest hours, they are often seen motionless in shady areas.
The Cichla pleiozona is a superb predator, very pleasant to fish with lighter tackle than that needed for its Brazilian or Colombian cousins. It's an aggressive species that doesn't hesitate to attack surface lures, and fights are very interesting on fine tackle. It may be wise to look for it as a complement to other species, such as the arapaïma.
