Peacock cichlid care
Aulonocara species · Lake Malawi, East Africa
Peacock cichlids are the brightest of the Lake Malawi cichlids: males shine blue, yellow or red, females stay brown-gray.
- Tank size
- 55 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 75 to 82 °F (24 to 28 °C)
- Group size
- Alone (one male per tank)
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Adult size
- 6 in
- pH
- 7.5 to 8.6
- Hardness (GH)
- 10 to 20 dGH
- Lifespan
- 6 to 10 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Care level
- Moderate
In a 55 gallon
48¼ × 12¾ × 21 in outsideHow to keep peacock cichlids
Peacock cichlids are the brightest of the Lake Malawi cichlids: males shine blue, yellow or red, females stay brown-gray. Keep them in a 55 gallon or larger tank of hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5 to 8.6) at 75 to 82 °F, with sand, rockwork and other calm Malawi cichlids; they are gentler than mbuna.
Diet: Omnivore: cichlid pellets and frozen foods; they hunt in the sand. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Bottom of the tank.
Peacock cichlid tank mates
Share the temperature and water, and neither side eats, nips or bullies the other. Check the full group in the stocking checker.
Giant danio
6 in · 55+ gal · 72–79 °F
Three-spot (blue) gourami
6 in · 29+ gal · 72–82 °F
Electric blue acara
6 in · 40+ gal · 72–82 °F
Yellow lab cichlid
6 in · 55+ gal · 72–82 °F
Rainbow cichlid
6 in · 30+ gal · 72–84 °F
Acei cichlid
6 in · 55+ gal · 74–82 °F
Blue acara
6 in · 40+ gal · 72–82 °F
Red rainbowfish
5.9 in · 55+ gal · 72–79 °F
Keep apart
Cardinal tetra: Adult peacock cichlids eat fish under about 1.5 in; cardinal tetras grow to 1.2 in.
Green neon tetra: Adult peacock cichlids eat fish under about 1.5 in; green neon tetras grow to 1 in.
Ember tetra: Adult peacock cichlids eat fish under about 1.5 in; ember tetras grow to 1.2 in.
Chili rasbora: Adult peacock cichlids eat fish under about 1.5 in; chili rasboras grow to 0.8 in.
Celestial pearl danio: Adult peacock cichlids eat fish under about 1.5 in; celestial pearl danios grow to 1 in.
White cloud mountain minnow: No shared temperature: peacock cichlids need 75 to 82 °F, white cloud mountain minnows 64 to 72 °F.
What a peacock cichlid tank needs
A tank of 55 US gallons or more (such as the 55 gallon) with a cover, and the equipment below.
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Aqueon QuietFlow Canister Filter 200
Rated by the maker for up to 55 US gal, which covers a 55 gallon peacock cichlid tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Seachem Tidal 55
Rated by the maker for up to 55 US gal, which covers a 55 gallon peacock cichlid tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Aqueon Pro 150
Peacock cichlids need 75 to 82 °F; most homes run cooler, so a heater holds the temperature.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, the readings that matter most before and after adding peacock cichlids.
Seachem Prime 100 mL
Removes chlorine and chloramine from tap water at every water change.
Fluval Edge Thermometer
Shows the water temperature at a glance, so you know it stays within 75 to 82 °F.
More choices, each with the reason it is in or out: Filters for a 55 gallon tank · Heaters for a 55 gallon tank. We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common peacock cichlid problems
- Males fight each other; keep one male per tank, or a larger all-male group in a big tank.
- Mbuna such as red zebras and demasoni bully them.
Test the water first whenever fish look unwell: see what your readings mean, then match the symptom. For disease, a vet who treats fish can diagnose it and advise treatment.
More to compare
Sources
Name and origin checked against Wikipedia: Aulonocara species. Adult size, temperature, pH, hardness, group size, lifespan and minimum tank size are common hobby guidance, not figures from that article. Ranges are the range the species tolerates; aim for the middle. Minimum tank sizes are for an adult group. Drawings are our own; photo credits follow.
Photo credits
Real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, resized and cropped to fit; each is used under the license named.
- Peacock cichlid Xav84800, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Giant danio Faucon, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Three-spot (blue) gourami Peter Jung, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Electric blue acara 5snake5, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Yellow lab cichlid Julian Matz, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Rainbow cichlid Happy Birthday To You!, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Acei cichlid Toby Hudson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Blue acara Loïc Tremblay, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Red rainbowfish Hectonichus, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cardinal tetra CHUCAO, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Green neon tetra Sascha Biedermann, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Ember tetra Klaus Rudloff, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Chili rasbora JoKrimmel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Celestial pearl danio Cisamarc, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- White cloud mountain minnow Petrtyl, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Angelfish Citron, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Discus Patrick Farrelly, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- German blue ram Eric Mengel, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cockatoo dwarf cichlid William Kreijkes, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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