All fish / Cichlidae

Yellow Peacock Cichlid

Aulonocara baenschi

Also known as sunshine peacock, baenschi peacock, nkhomo-benga peacock, new yellow regal, benga yellow peacock, yellow regal peacock, aulonocara benga, aulonocara baenchi, ปลาหมอสีมาลาวีพีค็อกเหลือง, アウロノカラ・ベンシィ, louhan peacock kuning, 黄帝王

Adult males are a rich lemon yellow with a bright blue face and iridescent blue lips, while females are a duller greyish brown. It is one of the most popular Malawi peacocks because it stays fairly small, is less aggressive than mbuna and shows strong colour in a hard, alkaline tank with rockwork and open sand.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

11 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

7.6 to 8.6

Smallest tank

200 litres

Keep as

One male with three or more females, or an all-male peacock tank

Diet

Carnivore: quality cichlid pellets, frozen mysis, brine shrimp and krill; avoid beef heart and excess fatty foods

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

6 to 10 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Lake Malawi (Malawi), endemic

Breeding

A maternal mouthbrooder: the female carries the eggs and fry in her mouth for around three to four weeks after spawning on a flat rock or in a sand pit. It breeds readily in captivity given a harem and good water quality.

Good to know

Do not mix with other Aulonocara species if you want pure stock, as they hybridise easily, and many line-bred yellow peacocks sold are hybrids. Males can be territorial towards each other and should not be housed with boisterous mbuna.