Anyone ever keep peacock bass? if so tips?

[atmagoulick]

The peacock bass is not a cichlid.  It is a game fish from the Amazon River.  All game fish are illegal to keep.

[four_by_ken]

The peacock bass is not a cichlid.  It is a game fish from the Amazon River.  All game fish are illegal to keep.

I cant see this true... to many stores have them for sale.  If it was one... I would say they are sneaking by with selling it.  But with multiple locations... cant be illegal.

[atmagoulick]

I know it is illegal to keep small mouth and large mouth bass.  The Cichla ocellaris, or more commonly known as the peacock bass is bigger and more aggressive than either.  They are considered a game fish.  Maybe they are legal, or maybe they are illegal?

Sincerely,

Andy

[Ogre44]

A lot of the fish we keep are considered game fish in the countries in which they originate.
Also, I do believe that the bass in peacock bass is a misnomer, it's just part of the common name used here in the US.
The largemouth is Micropterus salmoides, and the smallmouth is M dolomieu so aside from being fish and filling the same approximate niche in their environments they're not that closely related.

[atmagoulick]

That sounds right.  However, the United States does not allow our game fish to be exported or kept.  I have heard the same about other countries game fish.  Again, I am not sure, but I have heard the same laws apply.  I could be wrong.  It is a pretty fish regardless.

Andy

[dstuer]

I first kept them in the 1960s but failed as I couldn't get them to eat pellets, they were wild caught. 
Again in the 80s, more successful but my 150 gal was just too small. in a very short time.
Here in Milwaukee they were quite common a few years back, available in all LFSs, because one of the MAS members had a breeding pair. He had the pair in a 240 with no other tankmates when I shot the pics below on my camera.
Even though they are called bass, they are cichlids, and were introduced as game fish in Florida, but South American, not native

[rcombs]

Very sweet pics. I seen a video on youtube that someone in florida had them breeding in ponds.