1 kinds · tap one for a closer look
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.
This one is best kept on its own, or with its own kind.
Calm for a Malawi cichlid, but males squabble; best in a roomy tank with peaceful hap or peacock tank-mates.
Cichlid pellets and flakes with frozen brine shrimp, mysis and bloodworms a few times a week.
Tap a food to see what it is.
Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.
Maternal mouthbrooder (harem) · Moderate
Maternal mouthbrooder; the female holds eggs for about 3 weeks.
One male with 3-5 females in a sandy tank; males defend a cave or a cleared sand patch.
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.
Good condition on varied protein foods, warm stable water and a dominant male displaying at a sand scrape or cave.
20-50 eggs per spawn, held in the female's mouth for about 3 weeks.
The female releases fry after 3-4 weeks. Feed crushed flake and newly hatched brine shrimp; fry grow steadily in clean, warm water.
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.
5 facts checked with sources
Name valid, but see note on every field: the aquarium 'emperor peacock' is very likely not this species. The real A. nyassae is a rarely seen sand-dweller (FishBase 8 cm SL, known from very few specimens) that has never been exported, so fish sold as 'emperor peacock' / 'A. nyassae' are other Aulonocara or hybrids. Husbandry values cannot be sourced for the true species.
FishBase: Aulonocara nyassae summaryLegacy had no family.
FishBase: Aulonocara nyassae summarySL. Legacy 17 cm describes trade fish, not the true species.
FishBase: Aulonocara nyassae summaryLegacy had no native range. Cichlid Room Companion reports only a few individuals seen at Masasa and Mazinzi reefs.
FishBase: Aulonocara nyassae summary · Cichlid Room Companion: Aulonocara nyassaeIUCN: Near Threatened (2018). Wikipedia (citing Konings) says more specimens were collected in the 1990s. Recommend the site rename this entry or relabel it as a trade name of uncertain identity.
FishBase: Aulonocara nyassae summary · Cichlid Room Companion: Aulonocara nyassae