Three-Barred Peacock Bass

Cichla temensis - the three-barred/speckled peacock bass - is the largest cichlid of the Americas, reaching about 99-100 cm and 12-13 kg (FishBase/USGS: 99 cm TL; Wikipedia: up to 1 m). It is a muscular, diurnal, highly aggressive open-water predator of Amazon and Orinoco river systems. In the aquarium it is a flagship 'monster fish' demanding a very large, powerfully filtered tank. Profile temperament (Aggressive) is correct: TFH calls it one of the most aggressive of the Cichla. Confidence note: medium-confidence guidance drawn from published species care information; treat as conservative guidance, not a precise requirement.

Profile sizeCm=70 understates the species: FishBase and USGS record 99 cm TL, Wikipedia up to 1 m, and Aquarist Atlas puts temensis near 3 ft total length. Breeding can begin around 300 mm TL (Wikipedia), so even 'sub-adult' fish are already large animals. Buy the adult system, not the juvenile's current size. Confidence note: medium-confidence guidance drawn from published species care information; treat as conservative guidance, not a precise requirement.

Diurnal and territorial: TFH describes C. temensis as belligerent and one of the most aggressive of the Cichla, with most keepers running species-specific tanks, and Wikipedia documents fierce pair-guarding of eggs and fry. SeriouslyFish notes the species can be kept in species groups but gives no numbers, so no numeric groupSize is claimed. behaviorFlags: diurnal, open-water, territorial. Confidence note: medium-confidence guidance drawn from published species care information; treat as conservative guidance, not a precise requirement.

SeriouslyFish specifies an adult tank of 10'x3'x4' - about 3,397 L - nearly 3.4x the profile's 1,000 L minimum; experienced keepers independently call 10 ft the absolute minimum with 3.5 ft+ width. Water should be warm (27 °C or warmer per SeriouslyFish; FishBase natural range 27-29 °C) and soft to moderately soft: pH 5.5-6.5 (SF and FishBase agree; profile pH max 7.0 is too high), hardness 0-15 dGH. Filtration must be external/sump-grade to keep up with a large messy predator, and nitrate should be treated as near-zero (experienced-keeper guidance). Confidence note: medium-confidence guidance drawn from published species care information; treat as conservative guidance, not a precise requirement.

Open-water swimmer: TFH warns keepers about the swimming room these large cichlids require, and Wikipedia notes the species needs 'ample swimming space'. The 305 x 122 cm footprint supports full-length turns and burst swimming; keep the central run clear of dense hardscape. This is an adult footprint, not a grow-out figure. Confidence note: medium-confidence guidance drawn from published species care information; treat as conservative guidance, not a precise requirement.

Carnivore - profile diet correct. FishBase lists small fish as the staple; Wikipedia records juveniles feeding on shrimp, insects and other arthropods; TFH highlights shrimp and krill for colour enhancement. Feed whole fish, crustaceans and meaty frozen foods on a heavy but controlled schedule - waste production is high and filtration must match. Confidence note: medium-confidence guidance drawn from published species care information; treat as conservative guidance, not a precise requirement.

TFH: peacock bass 'can certainly be kept in community settings as long as care is taken to choose their tankmates carefully' - tankmates must be at least half (ideally two-thirds) the size of the C. temensis, which can swallow fish one-third its length; suggested companions include large silver dollars, pacu, tinfoil barbs, Satanoperca, Tilapia, Uaru, Oscars and other Cichla. Rockland Aquarium adds large Cichla, arowana, large catfish and big silver dollars, warning that anything fitting in the mouth is food. Small, slow or delicate fish are prey and invertebrates are food - treat the tank as a predator system. Confidence note: medium-confidence guidance drawn from published species care information; treat as conservative guidance, not a precise requirement.

A three-barred peacock bass is a 3,000-plus-litre, 27 °C, low-nitrate, mostly single-species commitment with a tight-fitting lid - documented jumpers. The profile's tankSizeMinL (1,000), tempMinC (24) and phMaxC (7.0) are all too lax versus specialist sources. If the footprint, filtration and feeding regime are realistic it is one of the most spectacular display predators available; otherwise it belongs in public aquaria. Confidence note: medium-confidence guidance drawn from published species care information; treat as conservative guidance, not a precise requirement.