INFO - "AULONOCARA"

NAME: Peacocks (Eureka Red, Marble, Benga, Maleri Gold, Orange, Blue, Sulphur Crest, Albino etc.)

GENUS: Aulonocara

SPECIES: Sp. Baenschi, Jacobfreibergi, Hansbaenschi, Kandeensis, Maylandi, Stuartgranti, Nyassae, Rostratum, Walteri etc.

ENDEMIC TO: Lake Malawi - AFRICA

MAX SIZE: 15 cm

WATER PARAMETERS: 24-28C / PH : 7.2 to 8.5

CLASS: Mouth brooding Mbuna

SEXUAL DIMORPHISM: Males of Aulonocara grow into an array of different colours ranging from reds, blues, yellows to iridescent greens. Only very few species of this family have dull appearing colours. Fish such as A. Rostratum will only attain a light blue sheen over their silver body and hence in cases like this, determining the sex will be reliant upon egg spots or vent examinations. A.Jacobfreibergi is renowned for its elongated fins and is outstanding in full breeding dress. Females are usually a plain brown or silver with minimal colour on their gill plates.

TEMPERAMENT: Males will defend their territory, especially around breeding time. Aggression from this family of fish is generally not fatal however if defenseless mouth brooding females are not provided adequate hiding space injuries may be inflicted by the dominant males. Apart from their hormonal displays of aggression peacocks are considered a peaceful species amongst African cichlids.

DIET REQUIREMENTS: Aulonocaras are carnivorous. Their diet in the wild would consist of predominantly insects, fish and small invertebrates. In captivity they readily take dry foods (sinking pellets, flakes), frozen blood worms/brine shrimp and live foods. Alternate their feeding allowing them variety but also bear in mind that excessive feeding of high protein products can lead to internal bacterial problems. All species of this genus enjoy sifting through finer substrates in search of foods. In their native environment they are prone to sifting sand through their gills in hope of filtering smaller invertebrates as a food source.

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

• There are currently 42 + identified species of peacocks all deriving from different locations along Lake Malawi.
• There are a several species of Aulonocara that prefer open waters and rarely seek refuge amongst the rockery in your aquarium unless spooked. Species such as the larger A.Rostratum will always stay in open areas of the aquarium foraging though substrate for food.
  
• Typical haplochromine (old classifications where if a fish was not a mbuna they were classified as an open water hap) Most suited to a habitat with fine substrate and caves.
  
• Can be housed with hardy aquarium plants - anubias/vallisneria/java fern.
• Sand dwelling Aulonocaras will choose pits dug by males in the sand as their spawning sites wheres as cliff dwelling Aulonocaras will choose caves as a breeding site.
  
• Peacocks can be a shy fish however they feel in safer in numbers or house them amongst other cichlids.
• Some species of Aulonocara carry very distinct characteristics. Body shape, head shape, stripe patterns and position of their mouths can be used to identify different groups.
• Selecting young fish to rear as a breeding colony is relatively easy. Males colour at a young age and females are brown/silver with a dark brown/black line in their dorsal fin.
  
• Aulonocara can become prolific breeders even in small colonies of 4.
• Generally an adult mouth brooding female depending on the size of the species can hold between 30 and 50 eggs.
• Eggs range in size again depending on the specific group.
  
• From spawning date, fry should be free swimming after 12 days depending on water temperature.
• Peacocks will begin breeding at a young age. Even small juveniles at 6cm may hold small mouthfuls of ten fry.
• Do not house different species from the Aulonocara family together for breeding purposes. Avoid genus that even are of similar appearance to them such as Copadichromis and Sciaenochromis to prevent interbreeding.
• Easy to house and rear. Raise temperatures and feed live foods to optimise breeding.
• Very easy to breed in optimum water conditions.
• One or two peacocks will display colours in a community aquarium however any number greater than this will result in males of the peacock species being submissive and not showing their true potential.
  
• Aulonocaras are the most popular fish to practise hormone induced feeding upon. Due to their wide variety of colour morphs many retailers exploit this advantage by colour enhancing them.
• A few of the peacock species have derived from hybridisation. Species such as Jacobfreigbergi. At any point where new strains/varieties are stabilised they are introduced into the market for trading. A.Hansbaenschi is another species always under experimentation.
  

photos courtesy of plecos.com/lerdsuwa.wikimedia/fishpost.com