Temperature Tolerance Of The Peacock Bass And A Pond Test Of Its Value As A Piscivorous Species

Since the introduction of the peacock bass, Cichla sp., into Florida in 1964, several southeastern states have considered introducing it as a new piscivorous game species. Tests show that fingerling peacock bass die at temperatures below 61°F., and, therefore, they would be unsuitable for introduction outside of tropical areas unless overwintered indoors or in heated water. In one pond stocked with 108 peacock bass per acre, tilapia, and fathead minnows, the peacock bass appeared to be a less effective predator than the largemouth bass when stocked under similar conditions. However, growth rates were approximately the same for peacock bass and largemouth bass at the end of a six-month period.