Peacock cichlids are Lake Malawi fishes in the genus Aulonocara. Their care depends on the species and stocking plan: a breeding group, several competing males and a mixed Malawi community are different projects. Buy identified stock rather than choosing fish by color alone.
Identify the species and strain
Keep the seller’s species, locality and strain information. Trade names overlap, and color alone cannot establish parentage. Females and immature males can be particularly difficult to identify. Do not sell offspring as a pure species when the parents’ identities are uncertain.
Blue peacocks
Several species and ornamental strains have blue males. “Blue peacock” is not a reliable identification as Aulonocara nyassae. Ask for a scientific name and documented source before selecting mates or planning breeding.
Sunshine peacocks
“Sunshine” is used for more than one yellow peacock. Locality forms associated with the A. stuartgranti group and fish sold as A. baenschi should not be assumed interchangeable because their labels or colors resemble one another.
Red ornamental peacocks
Domestic red strains may have selectively bred or hybrid backgrounds. A seller’s “red peacock” label does not prove a particular cross. The name “flavescent peacock” is also used for A. stuartgranti; it does not establish that a fish is a red hybrid.
Yellow regal peacock
Aulonocara baenschi is a recognized species. Its species profile describes males reaching about 12 cm standard length, excluding the tail. Keep provenance records rather than identifying it solely by the amount of blue on the body.
Malawi butterfly peacock
Aulonocara jacobfreibergi is a larger, more assertive choice. Males can reach 15–17 cm standard length. Its species profile recommends a 120 × 60 cm aquarium base; a generic 40-gallon recommendation misses this difference.
Aquarium size, substrate and water
For smaller common species such as A. baenschi, a 120 × 45 cm footprint is a starting point; mixed communities or multiple males need more room. Provide fine sand for foraging, open feeding areas and stable rock shelters. Secure rocks against digging before adding the substrate.
Many commonly kept peacocks suit approximately 25–27°C, alkaline water around pH 7.5–8.5 and adequate mineral content. Check the species and source water rather than treating those figures as the limits for every Aulonocara. Malawi water is freshwater: do not add marine salt to imitate a reef aquarium.
Complete the nitrogen cycle before stocking. Test pH, GH and KH in both aquarium and replacement water before using buffers. Ammonia and nitrite should remain zero. Use effective biological filtration, surface movement and regular water changes; test results and feeding load determine the required schedule.
Stocking and aggression
A breeding group usually starts with one male and several females of one identified species. Do not force a pair together: repeated male attention can exhaust a lone female. All-male displays require more space, careful selection and somewhere to remove incompatible individuals; they are not a simple way to avoid aggression.
Similar-looking males can become rivals, and different peacock species can hybridize. Most aggressive mbuna are poor companions. Research each proposed Malawi species individually instead of adding any fish marketed as an African cichlid. Repeated chasing, missed meals, torn fins or permanent hiding call for separation.
Feeding without excess waste
Offer suitably sized complete cichlid foods with varied ingredients, supplemented with small frozen or live invertebrates. Peacocks forage for small prey, but an all-meat diet is unnecessary; vegetable-containing prepared foods can contribute to the diet. Grain or plant ingredients alone do not establish that a complete food is poor quality.
Feed small portions and watch subordinate fish eat. Remove uneaten food and adjust quantities if waste accumulates. Follow the maintenance routine with testing rather than increasing feeding to make males more colorful.
Breeding and mouthbrooding
Females incubate eggs and developing fry in the mouth, often for roughly three to four weeks. A brooding female may stop feeding. Avoid chasing her around the aquarium or trying to force food into her mouth. If harassment makes isolation necessary, use a cycled, suitable recovery setup and plan her later reintroduction.
Released, free-swimming fry with absorbed yolk sacs can take newly hatched brine shrimp and finely sized prepared foods. Egg spots and bright color are clues, not infallible sex tests; juveniles and subordinate males may be dull. The A. stuartgranti profile covers its foraging, social arrangement and maternal mouthbrooding in more detail.
