Blue Peacock Cichlid
Common Names: Blue Peacock Cichlid, African Peacock, Peacock Cichlid, Blue Cichlid
Scientific Name: Aulonocara
Maximum Size: 6 inches
Minimum Tank Size: 50 gallons
Temperature Range: 72 - 80°F
pH Range: 7.4 - 8.6
Water hardness: 10 - 15
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Origin: Lake Malawi, East Africa
Aquarium Setup:
These cichlids need a lot of open space for swimming. Tank decorations should be placed to allow adequate room at both the bottom and middle sections of the tank. The freshwater tank should include a sandy bottom, some rocks and plants.
Diet:
Peacock Cichlids are omnivorous and can easily be fed on bloodworms, larvae, snails and Tubifex. Although they prefer a live or frozen diet, they will also eat flakes and pellets that are made especially for cichlids.
Tank Mates/Community:
Female Peacocks usually get along well with other fish of their species, but the male is often aggressive towards males of his own species. Avoid mixing Peacocks and Mbunas, Haplochromis usually make very good tank mates for Peacocks.
Behavior:
Peacocks are very territorial, especially the males that may become very aggressive towards any fish that has invaded his territory.
Color:
The female Peacock can vary from gray to a dull brown color. The male can be either a metallic blue or bright yellow. During the breeding period the male’s colors will become much more vibrant.
Breeding:
Peacock Cichlids are ovophile mouth brooders and they form matriarch families. The female lays the eggs and then carries them in her mouth. There should be a ratio of 3-4 females for each male you have in the tank.
During breeding time the water needs to be kept at a warmer temperature of 79-84 deg F. The Peacock’s incubation period is 3 weeks, at which time the mother will release the fry.
Interesting Notes:
Blue Peacocks like to dig around in the sandy bottom and they will often end up rearranging aquarium decorations. They may also pull up any plants and tear some of the leaves off.
