The Flavescent Peacock Aulonocara stuartgranti
is widely distributed in Lake Malawi, Africa. It is a moderate to large
sized peacock cichlid that can grow between 4.5 to 7.5 inches (11 - 19
cm) in length. Its common name is derived from the term "flavescent",
which means yellowish or turning yellow, but this species is quite
variable in color. It will range from blue to yellow with many colors
in-between. Both the size and the coloring of this very attractive
species are dependent upon where it is found. The aquarist has quite a
choice of colors that can be combined to make a very attractive species
show tank.
The Grant's Peacock Cichlid is another common name for this peacock, reflecting its species name stuartgranti; and by
the African people It is known as Ngara Aulonocara. There are a number
of other regional common names for it too, such as Cobue, Mdoka, Ngara,
and Nkata bay. Then finally with the different colorings dependent on
where they are found in the lake, names of each variety are suffixed by
its locality. Some of the popular varieties include the Sunshine Peacock or Aulonocara stuartgranti "Maleri", the Maulana Bicolor Peacock or Aulonocara stuartgranti "Maulana", the Flametail Peacock or Aulonocara stuartgranti "Ngara" and two in-line bred color forms of the Aulonocara stuartgranti "Chipoka"; the German Red Peacock and the Rubin Red Peacock.
Peacock cichlids are members of a very small group of fish from Lake Malawi, Africa. They are placed in the Aulonocara
genus which contains only about 28 species, but with many subspecies.
They are all very richly colored and very popular with aquarists. The
well deserved term "peacock" is derived from their brilliant colorations
of blues, reds and yellows.
The Aulonocara cichlids, along with the Utaka Cichlids Copadichromis
and other non-Mbuna's, are members of the Haplochromis group.
Haplochromis is a type genus of free-roaming browsers sometimes call
"haps" or "happies". They live in more sandy areas and open waters, and
are generally larger cichlids than their Mbuna "rock-dwelling"
counterparts. They also are more peaceful cichlids and should not be
housed with the highly active and aggressive Mbunas.
Besides their beautiful appearance the Flavescent
Peacocks are easy to care for. They make a desirable pet for both
beginning and more advanced cichlid aquarists as long as the tank is
large enough. Provide open space for swimming along with some caves in
which to hide, sleep, or breed. They will eat a meaty diet and have an
almost puppy like excitability when being fed, thus adding to their
appeal. Frequent water changes will also help in keeping this cichlid.
This cichlid has been bred in captivity, and like all Peacocks, true
strains are hard to find unless wild caught or from a reputable dealer.
Preferred Water Parameters:
- Water Temperature: 23-27 degrees celsius
- pH Level: 7.5-8.5
- General Hardness: Hard
 Habitat: This is the primary location where the cichlid is found and is a generalization. This does not mean a fish cannot be found in other habitats. | |||
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Diet: Many cichlids specialize in eating one type of food; notwithstanding, some of these specialized feeders are flexible and can be opportunistic feeders. |
Description
The
Flavescent Peacock grows to an average length of about 4.5 - 7.5 inches
(11 - 19 cm) in length. The size of each individual depends on the
location in Lake Malawi where it is found. With proper care this fish
may live 6 to 10 years.
This Peacock cichlid comes in a wide range of colors
from blue to yellow and in-between. Each locale where they are found
sports its own combination of color as well as size. All females are
quite drab and much smaller with dark vertical bars that are sitting on a
background body color that is browish-beige.
A few of the other variations of Flavescent Peacock
are described below. You can discern by the descriptions that there are
variations in color that have formed naturally in the wild. These are
all males that were wild caught in Lake Malawi and categorized by
location, and some have female descriptions as well:
- Aulonocara Stuartgranti "Chipoka"
The popular Rubin Red Peacock and the German Red Peacock are two color forms of the Aulonocara Stuartgranti "Chipoka". These are in-line bred fish developed with extensive inbreeding carried out in Germany. The original form of this Flavescent Peacock is bright orange, and sometimes reddish, with faded darker vertical bars. The dorsal fins are bright orange or reddish, with an ice blue edging on the top and blue "squiggly" lines at the back end. The blue pattern at the back of the dorsal is repeated on the anal fin and the tail fin. The area below the eye has some ice blue metallic coloring, but the blue is not solid. The anal fins and pelvic fins are also orange or reddish and the pelvic fins have a very fine trim of ice blue on the front edge. All females are quite drab and much smaller with dark vertical bars that are sitting on a background body color that is more brownish. This fish may live 6 to 10 years.
- Aulonocara Stuartgranti "Maulana"
This Maulana Bicolor Peacock or Maulana Bi-Color 500 has a blue body with a wide band of yellow just behind the head that extends into its pectoral fins. There is a wide band of yellow just behind the head that extends into the pectoral fins and there is some yellow in the tail as well. The dorsal, anal, and pectoral fins are edged in white. The females are a quite drab maroonish color with no apparent (or very slightly apparent) darker vertical bars.
- Aulonocara stuartgranti "Ngara"
The Flametail Peacock is basically the same as Aulonocara stuartgrant "Mdoka" except there is more blue near the top part of the fish and orange/yellow at the belly. The tail fin has a little more orange/yellow with the back of the tail fin "edged" in a black/gray band with no orange/yellow coloring. The anal fin has less blue, and only in the top 1/2 of the anal fin.
- Aulonocara stuartgranti "Mdoka"
This Flavescent Peacock is mostly an orange/yellow in the body with small vertical electric blue specks throughout the body. The top fin is blue with white edging and near the back of the dorsal is a yellow patch that seems to "match" the tail fin that is yellow with irregular blue horizontal lines. The face is blue as well as the anal fin, though the anal fin has a few orange/yellow eggs spots. There is an over sheen to the blue coloring that almost makes it look "metallic."
- Aulonocara stuartgranti "Cobue"
This Flavescent Peacock gets to just under 5". They are blue as well, but the area on the top 1/3 (just below the back under the dorsal is a little less "shiny". The darker vertical bars along the body are a little more visible with a slightly duller coloring in-between, yet still "under" the blue body. The top fin is blue and the back fin is a brown/red with blue dots and irregular lines. The anal fin is blue with several yellow "egg spots". The pectoral fins are almost a burnt orange color with black/white trimming.
- Aulonocara stuartgranti "Nkata bay"
This Flavescent Peacock is honestly the drabbest, with more of a "dull lavender" body, dark vertical bars and only the nose being bluer. The dorsal fin is a plain blue with spots of orange/yellow at the very back. The tail fin is orange/yellow with horizontal lines and irregular lines in this plain blue. The anal fin is dark, an almost burnt red with beige/yellow egg spots. The pelvic fins are a green/gold with white trim on the front part of the fins.
- Aulonocara stuartgranti "Chilumba"
- The Chilumba Peacock
is found at Chilumba in the intermediate zone. They generally reach
about 4" (10 cm), though may grow as much as 6" (14 cm). The males are a
splendid blue with faded dark vertical stripes while the females are a
drab gray with vertical brown stripes.
- Aulonocara stuartgranti "MBenji"
The Mbenji Peacock, also known as the Blue Regal Peacock, and is found only at the Mbenji Island. This species is now known as Aulonocara koningsi rather than a variant of Aulonocara stuartgranti. It has a deep blue coloring on the entire body and fin areas. This blue is almost a sheen that covers the head and dorsal fin with faint darker vertical bars. They have a white edge at the top of the dorsal fin and at the tips of the tail fin. The "Mbenji" does not have the "egg spots" on the anal fin like other peacocks. They can get to 5.5" to 7" and tend to be very peaceful compared to others. This one is better in a tank by itself as it is easily pushed around and the last to eat.
Although the adult male looks very similar to the all blue variation of the Chilumba Peacock Aulonocara stuartgranti "Chilumba" it has different juvenile and female color patterning. The females of this species have wide vertical bars on the body and irregular spotting in the middle of the body. The females of A. stuartgranti have several noticeably thinner vertical bars.
All cichlids share a common feature that some
saltwater fish such as wrasses and parrotfish have and that is a
well-developed pharyngeal set of teeth that are in the throat, along
with their regular teeth. Cichlids have spiny rays in the back
parts of the anal, dorsal, pectoral, and pelvic fins to help discourage
predators. The front part of these fins are soft and perfect for
precise positions and effortless movements in the water as opposed to
fast swimming.
Cichlids have one nostril on each side while other
fish have 2 sets. To sense "smells" in the water, they suck water in and
expel the water right back out after being "sampled" for a short or
longer time, depending on how much the cichlid needs to "smell" the water. This feature is shared by saltwater damselfish and cichlids are thought to be closely related.
- Size of fish - inches: 7.5 inches (19.05 cm) - These peacock cichlids grow to an average length of between 4.5 - 7.5 inches (11 - 19 cm), the size depends on location the originate from.
- Lifespan: 6 years - They have a lifespan of 6 to 10 years with proper care.
The
streams that flow into Lake Malawi have a high mineral content. This
along with evaporation has resulted in alkaline water that is highly
mineralized. Lake Malawi is known for its clarity and stability as far
as pH and other water chemistries. It is easy to see why it is important
to watch tank parameters with all Lake Malawi fish.
Rift lake cichlids need hard alkaline water but are
not found in brackish waters. Still salt is sometimes used as a
buffering agent to increase the water's carbonate hardness. Forturnately
this cichlid has some salt tolerance. It can be kept in slightly
brackish water conditions, however it not suited to a full brackish
water tank. It can tolerate a low salinity that is about 10% of a normal
saltwater tank, which means a specific gravity of less than 1.0002.
A 55 gallon aquarium is okay a single fish, but 100
gallons is suggested when keeping more than one. They do fine in either
freshwater or brackish freshwater but need good water movement along
with very strong and efficient filtration. Gravel makes a good substate
and the addition of crushed coral can help keep the pH up. Crushed coral
or aragonite sands do tend to dissolves easier than salts. Keeping a
higher pH however, means that ammonia is more lethal, so regular water
changes are a must for these fish.
Some rock decor is good to create hiding places and
areas of retreat, just be sure to leave open spaces along the bottom of
the tank as well. These fish need plenty of swimming room on the bottom
and in the mid portions of the tank. A nice thing about these guys is
they do not damage plants as much as other cichlids, so you can add some
to your decor if desired. They prefer subdued lighting.
Social Behaviors
The
Flavescent Peacock is best kept alone in a 55 gallon tank, or as a
group of one male and two females in a 100 gallon tank. They are
peaceful toward those of the same species as long as it is not two
males. More than one male can only be kept in a tank that is very large
and can support different territories.
These fish are much more peaceful than other Malawi
cichlids so are best kept with their own kind. They can be kept with
Utakas that are similar in size, but avoid female Utakas that are
similar in appearance to the Aulonocaras as they will cross
breed. Mbunas are not good tankmates for the Flavescent Peacocks. Also
try to not house them with other Aulonocara's to prevent hybridization.
If they are kept with unsuitable
tankmates they may be eaten, especially the small females, or they will
not get enough to eat. Sometimes they can be very shy fish, so you can
add dither fish such as Rainbowfish Melanotaenia sp. and/or Congo Tetras Phenacogrammus interruptus, to help divert attention away from them.
Feeding: Carnivorous. Dry foods and frozen foods.
Fish Diseases
Malawi
bloat is a typical disease for African cichlids, especially if their
dietary needs are not met with quality foods. They are susceptible to
other typical fish ailments, especially if water is stale and of poor
quality and oxygenation. One common problem is Ich.
It can be treated with the elevation of the tank temperature to 86° F
(30° C) for 3 days. If that does not cure the Ich, then the fish needs
to be treated with copper (remove any water conditioners). Several
copper based fish medications are available for Ich. Copper use must be
kept within the proper levels, so be sure to follow the manufacturers
suggestions. A copper test also can be used to keep the proper levels.
You can also combine increasing the temperature with an Ich medication
treatment.
Credits :
http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/FlavescentPeacock.php
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=672
http://www.coburgaquarium.com.au/sheet.php?id=107
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb98/Super-Turtleman/140G%20All%20Male%20Tank/IMG_8785.jpg
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