Peacock cichlid
Aulonocara jacobfreibergi
The peacocks of Lake Malawi: brilliant males, grey females, calmer than mbuna and gentle with plants, but they need fine sand to feed.
Key facts
- Body length
- 6.7 in without fins
- Minimum tank
- 135 gallons
- Group
- 5+
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Care level
- 4 / 5
- Lifespan
- Not well documented
- Diet
- Cichlid pellets, frozen mysis, brine shrimp and krill
- Origin
- Lake Malawi, East Africa
- Hardier than14%
- Bigger than80%
- Calmer than28%
Water: their range vs yours
Peacock cichlid tank mates
- Panda corydorasGets along in shared water.Good mates
- OtocinclusGets along in shared water.Good mates
- BettaGets along in shared water.Good mates
- AngelfishGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Black widow tetraGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Blood parrot cichlidGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Common plecoGets along in shared water.Good mates
- DiscusGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Dwarf gouramiGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Honey gouramiGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Kuhli loachGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Leopard sailfin plecoGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Neon tetraMalawi butterfly peacock attacks fish with a similar shape or colour: Neon tetra.Risky
- Harlequin rasboraMalawi butterfly peacock attacks fish with a similar shape or colour: Harlequin rasbora.Risky
- Fancy guppyMalawi butterfly peacock attacks fish with a similar shape or colour: Fancy guppy.Risky
- Tiger barbMalawi butterfly peacock attacks fish with a similar shape or colour: Tiger barb.Risky
- Black neon tetraMalawi butterfly peacock attacks fish with a similar shape or colour: Black neon tetra.Risky
- Blue dolphin cichlidTwo territorial bottom-dwellers: need ≥ 12900 cm² of floor, tank has 5612 cm².Risky
- Cherry shrimpMalawi butterfly peacock eats dwarf shrimp: Cherry shrimp (PROP: охотится на беспозвоночных в песке).Avoid
- Amano shrimpMalawi butterfly peacock eats dwarf shrimp: Amano shrimp (PROP: охотится на беспозвоночных в песке).Avoid
- DemasoniDemasoni batter peaceful peacocks.Avoid
- Golden mbunaToo aggressive for calm peacock cichlids.Avoid
- Iridescent sharkIridescent shark can eat Malawi butterfly peacock: prey body depth 3.7 cm ≤ mouth 32.5 cm.Avoid
- Zebra mbunaZebras bully peaceful peacock cichlids.Avoid
How we check
The numbers the tank model uses for peacock cichlids: water as ideal and tolerated ranges, bioload from adult mass, space, flow and how they act on other species.
- Standard length
- 17 cm (SL)
- Adult mass
- 73.69 g
- Bioload at 25 °C
- 15.18 BU
- Min. water
- 432 L net
- Min. footprint
- 120 × 60 cm per group
- Group
- 5+ (best 7)
- Swims in
- bottom, middle
- Flow
- moderate
- Body / fins
- fusiform, normal fins
- Diet type
- omnivore meat
- Fin nipper
- none
- Sensitive to
- —
Care notes
Peacock cichlids grow to about 6.5 inches and hunt invertebrates by sifting sand. Males are richly coloured and react badly to other fish with similar colours, while females stay plain grey.
Keep one male with four to six females in a 4-foot tank of 125 gallons or so, on fine sand. Do not mix them with boisterous mbuna or with other peacock species, which they hybridise with; shrimp will be eaten.
Questions
What size tank does a peacock cichlid need?
At least 135 gallons (432 litres of water after decor). Adults reach about 6.7 inches without fins.
How many peacock cichlids should be kept together?
Keep at least 5, ideally 7 or more: fewer feel exposed and hide or turn nippy.
What water do peacock cichlids need?
77–84 °F, pH 7.5–9 and 10–25 dGH. Peacock cichlids come from Lake Malawi, East Africa.
How long do peacock cichlids live?
Not well documented with good care.
What fish can live with peacock cichlids?
Good tank mates include Panda corydoras, Otocinclus, Betta, Angelfish and Black widow tetra. Each is checked both ways for size, fin nipping, temperament, territory and shared water.