All fish / Cichlidae

Brevirostris Peacock

Aulonocara brevirostre

Also known as trematocranus brevirostris, aulonocara brevirostris, brevirostris peacock cichlid, blue orchid peacock, aulonocara brevirostris likoma, brevirostre, アウロノカラ・ブレビロストレ, 短吻孔雀

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A slender, short-snouted peacock cichlid from Lake Malawi whose males turn a shimmering metallic blue with pale edging on the fins, while females stay silvery brown. It is kept for its striking male colour and its relatively calm nature compared with mbuna.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

14 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

7.6 to 8.6

Smallest tank

300 litres

Keep as

One male with three or more females

Diet

Carnivore: quality cichlid pellets, frozen mysis, brine shrimp and krill

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

6 to 10 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Lake Malawi (Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania)

Breeding

A maternal mouthbrooder: the male displays over a spot on the sand, and the female carries the eggs and fry in her mouth for about three weeks. Breeding is fairly easy in a well-kept Malawi set-up with several females per male.

Good to know

Males can be territorial towards other peacocks and will hybridise with other Aulonocara, so avoid mixing similar species. Do not keep with aggressive mbuna, which outcompete and stress it.