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Encyclopedia / African Cichlids / Sunshine peacock
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Variations

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Sunshine peacock

Aulonocara baenschi · Benga peacock, Baenschi, Benga

Less aggressive than mbuna, but males compete; keep one male per tank with several females and peaceful tank-mates.

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13 cmAdult size ✓
25–29 °CTemperature ✓
7.8–8.6pH ✓
243 LSmallest tank ✓
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Tank mates
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Not recommended
  • They need different temperatures (25–29 °C vs 16–24 °C). No setting suits both.
  • Rift lake cichlids like sunshine peacock need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
Not recommended
  • They need different temperatures (25–29 °C vs 18–24 °C). No setting suits both.
  • Rift lake cichlids like sunshine peacock need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
Not recommended
  • White cloud mountain minnow needs cool water and makes a lot of waste, while Sunshine peacock is tropical.
  • Rift lake cichlids like sunshine peacock need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
With conditions
  • Rift lake cichlids like sunshine peacock need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: exactly 25 °C.
With conditions
  • Rift lake cichlids like sunshine peacock need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
  • Their pH needs don't quite meet (7.8–8.6 vs 4.5–7). Aim between the two and keep it steady.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

71 species in our list are a good match.

Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ✓10–25 dGH
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

Less aggressive than mbuna, but males compete; keep one male per tank with several females and peaceful 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

Adult males are larger and more colourful (yellow with a blue face) than the plain females.

Health

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

Breeding

Maternal mouthbrooder (harem) · Moderate

A maternal mouthbrooder kept as one male with 4-6 females; the female carries the brood for up to 4 weeks before releasing free-swimming fry.

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

Brood carried for up to 4 weeks. No sourced egg count found.

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 – Malawi
Rivers and lakesLake Malawi (Nkhomo Reef near Benga)
HabitatRock and sand areas, often near caves
Native rangeAbout 20 km across
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The story of the sunshine peacock

A yellow-and-blue peacock from a handful of sites in Lake Malawi, described by Meyer and Riehl in 1985. It is common in the hobby but listed as Critically Endangered in the wild because of its small range.

Described in 1985 by Meyer and Riehl, this peacock was named after Hans A. Baensch, founder of a well-known aquarium book publisher. It comes from a small area near Benga on Malawi's central coast. Its bright yellow males made it one of the most popular peacocks.

First described by Meyer & Riehl in 1985. Named for Named after German aquarium publisher Hans A. Baensch.

  • Like all Aulonocara, it has enlarged sensory pores on its head to detect prey hidden in sand.
  • Only adult males show the full yellow colour; females are brownish.
  • It hunts small invertebrates by hovering just above the sand.

Sources

15 facts checked with sources