Why is my Peacock Cichlid losing its colour?

Loss of colour is usually a sign of stress, poor water parameters, or sub-dominance. In a tank with multiple males, only the dominant male (the 'tank boss') will show full colour; the others will deliberately look drab to avoid being bullied.

Can I keep Peacock Cichlids with Mbuna?

It is generally advised against. Mbuna are far more aggressive and highly active, which can severely stress the more sedate Peacocks. Mbuna are also largely herbivorous, making it difficult to balance the dietary needs of both groups in one tank.

How many females do I need per male?

If you intend to keep both sexes, you must stock a harem of at least three to four females for every male. This spreads his relentless breeding harassment across multiple fish, preventing any single female from being stressed to death.

Do Peacock Cichlids need plants?

No. Their natural habitat is mostly sand and rock, and they are notorious for digging up rooted plants. If you want greenery, hardy species attached to rocks, like Anubias or Java Fern, are your best options.

What does 'OB' mean in Peacock Cichlids?

OB stands for 'Orange Blotch'. The OB Peacock is not a wild species; it is a popular aquarium hybrid created by cross-breeding a male Peacock with an OB female Mbuna to combine the Peacock body shape with the mottled pattern.

FreshwaterTropicalIntermediate

Peacock Cichlid

Aulonocara spp.

Vibrant, highly intelligent African cichlids renowned for their dazzling male colouration and unique sand-sifting foraging behaviour.

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Ideal Conditions

Temperature: 24 – 28 °C
pH range: 7.8 – 8.6
Hardness: 10 – 25 dGH
Adult size: 10 – 15 cm
200L (minimum for a small harem), 300L+ for a mixed-species community: 200 litres+
Lifespan: 8 – 10 years
Diet: Omnivorous with a preference for small benthic invertebrates. High-quality cichlid pellets supplemented with frozen foods like brine shrimp or Mysis.
Water flow: Moderate
Preferred setup: Sandy substrate is essential for their foraging behaviour. Provide rocky caves and outcrops for territories, leaving ample open swimming space.

About the Peacock Cichlid

Peacock Cichlids represent the genus *Aulonocara*, often considered the jewels of Lake Malawi. They exhibit extreme sexual dimorphism; while females remain a camouflaging grey or brown, dominant males burst into spectacular shades of metallic blue, yellow, orange, and red. Unlike their rock-dwelling Mbuna cousins, Peacocks are relatively peaceful and possess enlarged sensory pores on their lower jaws, which act like biological sonar to detect movement beneath the sand.

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Is it right for your tank?

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Where Peacock Cichlid comes from

Native range

Lake Malawi

Countries / regions

Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania

Habitat

The 'intermediate zone' of Lake Malawi, where rocky coastlines transition into open sandy expanses.

Aulonocara species are endemic to Lake Malawi, with different species and distinct colour variants occupying highly localised rocky reefs.

Similar species

Haplochromine Cichlids
Copadichromis spp.
Frontosa Cichlid
Cyphotilapia frontosa
Yellow Lab Cichlid
Labidochromis caeruleus

We’re adding more full species guides as the catalogue grows.

Compatible tank mates

Reviewed guidance based on this species' recorded traits.

View all compatibility

Cuckoo Catfish
Synodontis multipunctatus
Thrives in the same hard, alkaline water and is robust enough to ignore cichlid aggression.
Great
Electric Yellow Cichlid
Labidochromis caeruleus
One of the few Mbuna peaceful enough to cohabit with Peacocks, but monitor feeding as Mbuna are greedy eaters.
Compatible with caution
Other Aulonocara Species
Aulonocara spp.
Females look identical across species, guaranteeing hybridisation if bred. Males of similar colours will fight intensely over dominance.
Compatible with caution
Auratus Cichlid
Melanochromis auratus
Highly aggressive Mbuna that will relentlessy bully and potentially kill the more docile Peacocks.
Not recommended
Neon Tetra
Paracheirodon innesi
Require completely different water parameters and are small enough to be eaten by adult Peacocks.
Not recommended

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