Cichla pleiozona
The peacock bass of the Madeira's headwaters: Guaporé (Iténez), Mamoré, Beni and Madre de Dios, plus the Jamari. Similar to the tucunaré-amarelo, but with a fourth bar on the caudal peduncle.
Also called: tucunaré-do-madeira, tucunaré
Described in 2006, it is the peacock bass native to the upper Madeira: the Madre de Dios, Beni, Mamoré and Guaporé (Iténez) rivers, in Bolivia and Brazil, and the Jamari River, in Rondônia. It is medium-sized: the largest measurement on FishBase is 44 cm standard length and 2.4 kg, from a survey on the Madeira River. It lives in lagoons, bays and eddies of clear and black water, near logs and rocks, and hunts fish by day. On the Brazilian side it appears in sport fishing on the Guaporé and in Rondônia's rivers, using the same baits as other peacock bass. In Mato Grosso, all peacock bass (Cichla spp.) are on the Transporte Zero list: you may fish, but not keep them.
Three vertical dark bars on the flank, a well-marked dark bar on the nape in large fish, irregular dark spots on the belly just behind the pectoral fins, and no black spot on the side of the head. Almost always has a fourth bar at the start of the caudal peduncle, which the tucunaré-amarelo and the popoca lack, and more lateral line scales (84 to 93). Unlike the amarelo, it has no pale spots on the anal and pelvic fins or on the lower lobe of the tail.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Upper Madeira River: Madre de Dios, Beni, Mamoré and Guaporé (Iténez) rivers, in Bolivia and Brazil (RO and MT), and the Jamari River, a tributary of the Madeira in Rondônia.
Habitat: Lagoons, bays and eddies of clear and black water, with submerged timber and rocks; lagoon mouths during falling water.
native to the basins
states
Rondônia, Mato Grosso
Falling water and dry season (June to October on the Guaporé and Mamoré): low lagoons and bays concentrate fish. In high water it enters the flooded forest and spreads out.
Daytime, with peaks at dawn and dusk. Feeds by day, with peaks early and late in the afternoon.
Winter cold spells drop activity for a few days.
Stable weather helps; a quick drop before a storm can give a short peak.
Small effect.
Heavy rain muddies the water and scatters the fish.
Falling river: the best scenario.
Sensitive to hull knocks and motor noise near the bank.
A light chop helps topwater lures.
Shallow, 0.5 to 3 m, near the structure.
lures
accessories
Lures a bit smaller than those used for tucunaré-açu catch more. Cast into lagoon mouths during falling water, along the logs.
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Conservation: Not on the national list of threatened species (Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667/2026).
In Mato Grosso, peacock bass (Cichla spp.) are among the 12 species whose transport, storage and sale are banned for 5 years from January 1, 2024. For amateurs, catch and release only.
Source: Lei estadual MT nº 9.096/2009, art. 19-B (as amended by Lei nº 12.434/2024)
Allowed: All fishing modalities are prohibited in rivers, including catch and release (Law 9.096/2009, art. 19-A). Exceptions: subsistence fishing from shore (3 kg or 1 fish, no transport or sale) and scientific fishing. Law 13.159/2025 now allows licensed sport fishing in UHE/PCH hydropower reservoirs, natural lakes and border rivers, subject to a scientific study and a license from the environmental agency. We have not confirmed whether these licenses are already being issued.
Allowed: The same recreational-angler exceptions as in Portaria 48/2007 apply (handline or rod, 5 kg + 1 fish), unless a stricter state rule applies.
Source: Portaria IBAMA nº 48/2007
Allowed: Recreational anglers with handline or rod, line and hook are outside the Annex II prohibitions, with a bag limit of 5 kg + 1 fish, unless a stricter state rule applies.
Source: Portaria IBAMA nº 48/2007
Allowed: Subsistence fishing only.
Source: Portaria IBAMA nº 48/2007
Allowed: See the exceptions in Portaria 48/2007 and the state rules for each bank.
Source: Portaria IBAMA nº 48/2007
Lip grip (boga) in the mouth, support under the belly and a quick photo. Release it near the structure where you caught it.
White, firm flesh; in MT transport is banned, and in sport fishing the practice is to release.
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01318, b = 3.08; FishBase). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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The season weights (months), the time of day and the sensitivities (cold, pressure, moon, wind, rain, tide, strong light, murky water and noise) are the app's editorial estimates, based on the literature below and on the field experience of anglers and guides. They are not official data nor a measurement made for this species, and they may vary by region and year. Closed seasons and legal rules appear in the rules section, with the norm and a link.
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