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Encyclopedia / African Cichlids / Emperor peacock
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Variations

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Emperor peacock

Aulonocara nyassae · Emperor cichlid, Blue peacock, Aulonocara nyassae, Nyassae peacock

Calm for a Malawi cichlid, but males squabble; best in a roomy tank with peaceful hap or peacock tank-mates.

"Emperor peacock" is a trade name. The real Aulonocara nyassae has never been exported, so fish sold under this name are another Aulonocara or a hybrid.

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8 cmBody length, without tail ✓
UnknownTemperature ?
UnknownpH ?
UnknownSmallest tank ?
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Tank mates
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This one is best kept on its own, or with its own kind.

Not recommended
  • Giant gourami eats animals up to about 10 cm. Emperor peacock only grows to 8 cm.
  • Rift lake cichlids like emperor peacock need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
Not recommended
  • Oscar eats animals up to about 12 cm. Emperor peacock only grows to 8 cm.
  • Rift lake cichlids like emperor peacock need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
Not recommended
  • Jack Dempsey eats animals up to about 8 cm. Emperor peacock only grows to 8 cm.
  • Rift lake cichlids like emperor peacock need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ?Unknown
Group size ?5 or more
Temperament ?Semi-aggressive
Swims at ?All levels
Care level ?Moderate
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 5–8 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Calm for a Malawi cichlid, but males squabble; best in a roomy tank with peaceful hap or peacock tank-mates.

  • sand

Food

Cichlid pellets and flakes with frozen brine shrimp, mysis and bloodworms a few times a week.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

MaleMetallic blue, long dorsal, may show black bars
FemaleSilvery grey with black bars
TipMales are blue; females are grey
How hard to tellEasy

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Maternal mouthbrooder (harem) · Moderate

Maternal mouthbrooder; the female holds eggs for about 3 weeks.

Pairing

One male with 3-5 females in a sandy tank; males defend a cave or a cleared sand patch.

Setup

200-300 L tank with sand, caves and flat stones, hard alkaline water (pH 7.8-8.5), strong filtration and a moderate group of females.

What starts it

Good condition on varied protein foods, warm stable water and a dominant male displaying at a sand scrape or cave.

Eggs

20-50 eggs per spawn, held in the female's mouth for about 3 weeks.

Raising the fry

The female releases fry after 3-4 weeks. Feed crushed flake and newly hatched brine shrimp; fry grow steadily in clean, warm water.

Common mistakes
  • Keeping several males in a small tank
  • Mixing with similar peacocks and creating hybrids
  • Overfeeding rich food and fouling the water
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionLake Malawi
Rivers and lakesLake Malawi
HabitatRock and sand transition zones
Native rangeAbout 300 km across
See it on the world map

The story of the emperor peacock

Described by Regan in 1922 and long known only from its type specimen, this sand-dwelling Lake Malawi peacock has never been exported. Fish sold as 'emperor peacock' or 'A. nyassae' are other Aulonocara or hybrids; the name has long been misused in the trade.

Charles Tate Regan described Aulonocara nyassae in 1922, and it is the type species of the peacock genus. Over the years many different peacocks were sold under this name, causing confusion. The name 'emperor peacock' is used for blue-and-red males in the trade.

First described by C. Tate Regan in 1922. Named for Named after Lake Nyasa, the older name for Lake Malawi.

  • It is the type species of Aulonocara, the peacock cichlid genus.
  • Many aquarium fish once sold as 'nyassae' later proved to be other species.
  • Peacocks are not mouth-grazers like mbuna; they hunt small animals in sand.

Sources

5 facts checked with sources