Fire peacock 12cm

The Fire Peacock Cichlid is a hybrid from the Aulonocara Species (Peacock Cichlid) from Lake Malawi. Peacock Cichlids are generally found living where the rocky shoreline transitions into the more sandy substrate of the lake bottom. Fire Red Peacock Cichlids feed by sifting through sand substrate by pushing the sand through their gills and extracting small invertebrates hidden in the sand.

However, they are also active hunters that will also actively prey on small prey items that it detects moving about the substrate or if it spots movement in the sand. Like most species of African Cichlid the Fire Peacock Cichlid lives in small groups of a single male and a small group of females. They will lay claim to a small piece of territory that provides them adequate feeding opportunities. Once they have established their territory they will aggressively defend it from similarly sized and patterned fish species or anything that they determine to be competition for food.

Fire Peacock Cichlids make a good addition to most any community Lake Malawi aquarium, as they will generally get along with most other Lake Malawi species. However, they are peaceful enough to keep with similar species providing the aquarium is large enough to provide multiple territories for each group of fish.

Behaviour

The majority of Cichlids have a reputation for being aggressive, whereas the Peacock Cichlid is fairly peaceful. Males can be territorial, but on the whole they are peaceful and can make good community fish. Peacocks are bottom dwellers and in the wild in Lake Malawi, will be found at depths of 6 to 40 meters.  A common behavior they will display is hunting for food amongst the sand. They will hover above the sand and once they detect any movement from any invertebrates they will strike. This is also a behavior you will see in aquariums as they sift through the substrate. They are an active swimmer and are one of the most peaceful Cichlids available.

Tank Conditions 

You will need at least a 200 litre tank. This tank should have a sandy substrate and lots of rocks. As they like to sift through the substrate, don’t use gravel because it can cut their gills. You should position the rocks to create plenty of caves and hiding spaces. Breaking up the aquarium with lots of caves helps to reduce their territorial behavior.

Peacocks will not eat aquatic plants but like other Cichlids, they have a tendency to dig and move plants around. For this reason you should only use hardy plants (think Java Ferns) and make sure to anchor them well.

If you’re planning on keeping a community of them, then a tank of at least 400 litres is recommended. The larger the tank the fewer territorial issues you will have.  Also remember that they are active swimmers so a horizontal tank is preferable here as it gives them more open space to swim in.

One final point about habitat and tank requirements; if you are mixing different varieties of Peacocks then make sure to accommodate to their individual needs. Some prefer more rocky environments, whilst others prefer sand. This is why a larger aquarium is needed when mixing Peacocks so you can adequately provide for their needs.

Compatibility

Peacock Cichlids aren’t like other Cichlids and are considered the more peaceful members of the family.

The first thing you need to do is make sure that any fish you want to keep with your Peacocks can survive in the same water parameters; for this reason many people choose tank mates who are also native to Lake Malawi. You can keep lots of the more gentle Haps (Haplochromis) with your Peacocks; for example:

• Copadichromis
• Placidochromis
• Nyassachromis
• Sciaenochromis

The best way to keep Peacocks together is to make sure you maintain a ratio of 1 male to 4 females. This will help create schools within the aquarium.  Also remember that males are territorial so make sure to provide them with enough space; a 400 litre tank is enough for a community of six.

Feeding

Peacock Cichlids are omnivores meaning they eat both meat and plant/vegetables.  In the wild they are bottom dwellers meaning they will sift through the sandy substrates for food. This will typically be insects, larvae, zooplankton and other crustaceans.  Flake foods, brine shrimp and daphnia work well.  Basically any Cichlid Fish Food will work well.

Interestingly you should avoid “meaty” foods such as bloodworms and tubifex worms as they may contribute to Malawi bloat, a fatal condition similar to dropsy where the fish inflates and looks like a pinecone.

Care should also be taken not to overfeed cichlids. They will eat as much as you feed them! Obese cichlids lose their brilliant colors and die young.

Care

Lake Malawi is known for having alkaline water that is known for clarity and is extremely stable in terms of its pH level and other key parameters.  The areas of the lake in which the Peacocks live, are characterized by sandy and rocky areas. So, we recommend you mimic these conditions within the tank. Matching their natural environment will reduce the stress levels of your fish and will provide them with the optimal conditions they require to stay healthy.  You can maintain the proper water chemistry for this fish with rift lake salts such as Seachem Cichlid Lake Salt™ .