All fish / Cichlidae

Gold Head Peacock

Aulonocara guentheri

Also known as guentheri peacock, gold head peacock cichlid, aulonocara gold head, guenther's peacock, aulonocara guenteri, 金头孔雀鲷

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A Lake Malawi peacock cichlid whose adult males are metallic blue with a yellow to gold head and throat, while females are greyish brown with darker bars. It is kept for its strong colour and its calmer manner compared with many mbuna.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

13 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

7.6 to 8.6

Smallest tank

250 litres

Keep as

One male with several females, or an all-male peacock tank

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 female carries the eggs and fry in her mouth for about three weeks. Breeding is fairly easy in a well kept tank with several females per male.

Good to know

Avoid keeping with other Aulonocara or similar haplochromines, as they hybridise readily. Aggressive mbuna can bully it, so choose tankmates carefully.