{"product_id":"kelberi-peacock-bass-cichla-kelberi","title":"Kelberi Peacock Bass | Cichla kelberi","description":"\u003ch2\u003eDescription\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Kelberi Peacock Bass is a spectacular South American predator — gold-flanked, powerful and intensely rewarding for the keeper with the space to do it justice. A true centrepiece fish, it grows into a fast, intelligent and endlessly watchable hunter. Be clear-eyed about size: while it is the most aquarium-friendly of the peacock bass, it still reaches around 30–40 cm in a tank, so it needs a very large, well-filtered aquarium.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eNatural Habitat\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eCichla kelberi is native to the warm, slow rivers, lagoons and flooded forests of the Araguaia and Tocantins basins in Brazil, and has been widely introduced elsewhere. It hunts in open water and among submerged timber in warm, soft to moderately hard conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAppearance\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eA muscular, elongated cichlid in golden-yellow to olive, marked with three dark vertical bars and a distinctive eye-spot (ocellus) on the tail base. Juveniles show a horizontal stripe that breaks into bars as they mature. Breeding adults deepen in colour and males develop a pronounced nuchal hump on the forehead.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eTemperament and Compatibility\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eA serious predator that will eat any tank mate small enough to swallow. It is not especially aggressive toward fish it cannot eat, but its sheer size, speed and appetite make it unsuitable for a normal community. House singly or as a group in a very large tank, only with robust, similarly sized fish.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFeeding\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eA carnivore and piscivore. Feed quality carnivore pellets as the staple once weaned onto them, plus meaty foods such as prawn, mussel and fish fillet. Avoid a diet of live feeder fish, which carry disease and can cause nutritional problems; most Kelberi can be trained to accept pellets and dead meaty foods.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eCare Requirements\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis fish demands space: a minimum of 450 litres for a single specimen, and considerably more for a group or for full-grown adults. Provide powerful filtration, strong water movement, open swimming room and a secure lid — they are strong and can jump. Warm, clean, well-oxygenated water and diligent maintenance are essential given the heavy waste load.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eBreeding\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAn open substrate-spawner and attentive biparental guardian. A pair cleans a flat surface, lays a large clutch and guards the eggs and fry together. Breeding in home aquaria is uncommon simply because of the enormous tank space a mature pair requires.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eSpecies Information\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eScientific Name\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCichla kelberi\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCommon Name\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eKelberi Peacock Bass\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOrigin\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAraguaia–Tocantins basins, Brazil (South America)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMaximum Size\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e30–40 cm in aquaria (to ~45 cm in the wild)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLifespan\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e10–15 years\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTemperament\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePredatory (eats smaller fish)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDifficulty\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eIntermediate–Advanced\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMinimum Tank Size\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e450 litres\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRecommended Tank Size\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e600+ litres\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDiet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCarnivore (pellets, prawn, mussel, fish fillet)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWater Temperature\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e24–28 °C\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003epH Range\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e6.0–7.5\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eGH Range\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e4–15 dGH (soft to moderately hard)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSalinity\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNot applicable (freshwater)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSuitable For\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eVery large predator and monster-fish aquariums\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eReef Safe\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNot applicable\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePlant Safe\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNo (large, boisterous; plants impractical)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\u003ch2\u003eSuitable Tank Mates\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eOther large, robust fish that can't be swallowed — big plecos, large catfish, oscars and other large cichlids, silver dollars, datnoids and similar tank-busters, all in a suitably enormous aquarium.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAvoid Keeping With\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAny small or medium fish (they will be eaten), slow long-finned species, invertebrates, and anything that can't cope with a big, fast, powerful predator.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nick's Aquarium Oceanarium Terrarium","offers":[{"title":"Small (1-5cm)","offer_id":55234152726819,"sku":null,"price":185.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Medium (5-10cm)","offer_id":55234152759587,"sku":"AA3654","price":210.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Large (10-15cm)","offer_id":55234152792355,"sku":null,"price":240.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false},{"title":"X-Large (15-40cm)","offer_id":55351971184931,"sku":null,"price":275.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0972\/7236\/5347\/files\/Kelberi_Peacock_Bass_1bfab45d-90ca-4584-90c6-822fac732e9b.jpg?v=1781699437","url":"https:\/\/nicksaquariumoceanariumterrarium.com.au\/products\/kelberi-peacock-bass-cichla-kelberi","provider":"Nicks Aquarium Oceanarium Terrarium","version":"1.0","type":"link"}