A collecting trip to Florida results in an almost world-wide collecting expedition, peacock bass included. I once observed a huge pair of A. festae guarding a cloud of fry in a canal off of Alligator Alley. Their colors were intense in the sunlight. I had no way to catch them and take them on the plane back home.
The Florida DNA will allow, and often encourages, the collection of exotics from the state's waterways. Just obtain a FL fishing license and have plenty of tanks ready. Many of the DNR officers will pointout locations teeming with exotics. They even recommended collecting exotics in Everglades National Park where the Chief officer gave my his card and relayed my name and license number to all the other officers so they would be aware of my collecting activities. The only caveat was to not be cought with anything native in my car.
Several of the officers stopped by to see what I had caught, and expressed gratitude for taking exotics out of the park.
Have been back numerous times to collect and always have been very successful finding all types of cichlids.
Mike Z.
