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Pearl cichlid (Geophagus brasiliensis)

Pearl cichlids are introduced freshwater fish established in parts of south-western Australia, including Perth-area waters. Their omnivorous feeding and territorial behaviour may affect native aquatic species and habitats.

Key facts

Type: Pest animal, fish.

Native to: Eastern and southern South America, including Brazil and Uruguay.

Established in: QLD, WA.

Other names: Brazilian eartheater, acará, caraúna, acará-ferreira.

Best time to act: Survey during warmer months, when fish are more active and easier to detect in shallow water.

Identification

  • The body is deep, oval-shaped and flattened from side to side, with a relatively large head.
  • Adults can grow to around 20–28 cm long.
  • Look for blue-green, pearly spots across the body and fins, often with dark vertical bars.
  • A dark blotch is usually visible on the middle of the flank, though colours and markings can vary.
  • Look-alike: Other introduced cichlids, including tilapias, may look similar; the pearl-like blue-green spots and dark mid-flank blotch help distinguish this species.

Where it lives

In Australia, it lives in freshwater lakes, ponds, wetlands and slow-flowing waterways, including waters in the Perth region.

Why it matters

  • It feeds on a range of food, including aquatic invertebrates and molluscs, and may compete with native fish for food and habitat.
  • Its bottom-feeding and territorial behaviour may disturb aquatic habitats and affect other animals.
  • Introduced fish can alter local aquatic communities, although the effects of pearl cichlids in Australian waters are not fully established.

How it spreads

  • Aquarium releases or escapes can introduce pearl cichlids into natural waterways.
  • People can spread them by moving live fish, water, or aquatic equipment between waterways.

Control methods

  • Do not release or relocate live pearl cichlids; contact the relevant state or territory authority for advice.
  • Use only capture methods approved by local authorities, such as targeted netting, trapping or electrofishing by trained operators.
  • Handle and dispatch captured fish humanely, following local rules, and do not return them to the water.
  • Monitor treated sites and nearby connected waters for surviving or newly detected fish, and report sightings to the state or territory biosecurity or fisheries agency.

Site hygiene and welfare

  • Before leaving a waterway, drain boats and equipment, remove mud, plants and animals, and clean and dry gear, including nets and footwear.
  • Do not transfer live fish or water between waterways.
  • Use methods set out in the national model codes of practice and standard operating procedures for the species.
  • Coordinate control with neighbours and the local government biosecurity plan, as isolated effort is quickly undone by reinvasion.

Classification by state

  • Australia (national): No national listing. Managed under state and territory law.
  • Queensland: Not prohibited or restricted. Not listed as prohibited or restricted matter in Queensland. Everyone must also take all reasonable and practical steps to minimise its risks (the general biosecurity obligation).
  • New South Wales: General biosecurity duty. Not prohibited matter in NSW. The general biosecurity duty applies: anyone dealing with it must prevent, eliminate or minimise the risk it poses.
  • Victoria: Not declared. Not declared under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994. Other Victorian laws may still apply.
  • South Australia: Not declared. Not declared under the Landscape South Australia Act 2019. Other laws may still apply.
  • Western Australia: Not listed. Not found in the Western Australian Organism List. Check with DPIRD before moving or keeping it.
  • Tasmania: Not a declared pest. Not a declared pest or prohibited matter in Tasmania. Importing animals is still controlled by Biosecurity Tasmania.
  • Northern Territory: Not a declared pest. Not on an NT declared or prohibited list. Check with the NT Government before keeping, moving or releasing it.
  • Australian Capital Territory: Not declared. Not declared under the Biosecurity Act 2023 (ACT). A general biosecurity duty still applies.

Legal obligations

Every state and territory places a duty on landholders and people working on land to prevent the spread of invasive species, such as the general biosecurity obligation in Queensland and the general biosecurity duty in New South Wales. Declarations and control requirements differ between states and local government areas, so check the current official list before work starts.

  • Queensland: Biosecurity Act 2014 (Qld), administered by Biosecurity Queensland (13 25 23)
  • Western Australia: Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 (WA), administered by the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development

Sources