Labeo nigrescens pictures

  Labeo nigrescens .. from Karnataka, south west India.

Pics by Ashwin Rai

channa sp blue galaxy picture

Credit : https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.228678750593623.51891.228349703959861&type=1

Platanista Gangetica or Indus Ganges River Dolphins pictures

Platanista Gangetica or Indus Ganges River Dolphins can found them

in India , Pakistan , Nepal.

Leucistic Lepidocephalichthys guntea Picture

Leucistic Lepidocephalichthys guntea ... the color never changed from India.

Picture by : Andrew Rao

Beautiful Betta Pictures ^ _ ^

 These are 1 , 2 , 3 position in The Grand Betta contest in America

1. Silver sun dragon

 

2. Metallic Yellow Calamall

  

3.Fancy Red Gold Glitter

ฺBeautiful Channa Ornatipinnis.

Credit Picture By : Pongsiam Siripong 

Giant snakehead mateing in nature ^ _ ^

   They look so beautiful when mateing ^ _ ^ but they are very aggressive in this time , should be careful when you want to take some picture.

Fish Data : Sunshine Peacock

Quick stats:

Listed tank sizes are the minimum
Size:	Maximum of 5 inches (12.7 cm)
Tank:	60 gallons.
Strata:	Mostly middle, but will go to all levels
PH:	7.5 to 8.5
Hardness:	Hard to very hard. 10 - 18 dGH
Temperature:	71°F to 79°F (22°-26° C)

Classification:

Order:	Perciformes
Family:	Cichlidae
Subfamily:	Pseudocrenilabrinae
Genera:	Aulonocara
Species:	baenschi

Common name:

Sunshine Peacock, Benga Peacock, Baensch's Peacock, Yellow Peacock Cichlid, Yellow Regal Cichlid. 

 

The Sunshine Peacock Aulonocara stuartgranti "Maleri" is a relatively small sized Peacock cichlid from Lake Malawi, Africa. It only reaches about 5 inches (13 cm) in length. It is a striking yellow in color highlighted with icy blues, especially on the dorsal fin. Captive bred color morphs can also be orange.

This cichlid is a member of a very small group of fish from Lake Malawi, Africa known as the Peacock Cichlids, and they are very popular with aquarists. The Peacock Cichlids are placed in the Aulonocara genus which contains only about 28 species, but with many subspecies. It is the brilliant colorations of blues, reds and yellows that give this group the well deserved name of "Peacock".

The Sunshine Peacock is one of the well known varieties of the Flavescent Peacock Aulonocara stuartgranti. This bright sunny variety is also commonly known as Aulonocara stuartgranti "Maleri", Orange Peacock, and Yellow Regal Peacock. It is widely distributed in Lake Malawi and there are a number of natural color forms.

The color forms of this variety are distinguished from one another by the place where they are found, and then named accordingly. They include the Aulonocara Stuartgranti "Maleri" (Chidunga Rocks), Aulonocara Stuartgranti "Maleri" (Chipoka), Aulonocara Stuartgranti "Maleri" (Maleri Island), Aulonocara Stuartgranti "Maleri" (Nakantenga Island), and Aulonocara Stuartgranti "Maleri" (Nankoma Island). Captive bred varieties have also been developed for particular colors. These will often be called by descriptive names such as Aulonocara stuartgranti "Marleri Gold" and Aulonocara stuartgranti "Marleri Red Flash".

The Aulonocara Peacock 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.

Along with their beautiful colors these cichlids will quickly adapt to the aquarium, thus making them a desirable pet. They will eat a meaty diet and have an almost puppy like excitability when being fed, thus adding to their appeal. Provide open space for swimming and a lot of caves for them to hide and sleep in, and for breeding. Frequent water changes will help in keeping this cichlid.

The fish pictured above is captive bred and has a more orangish coloration than wild caught varieties. Due extensive inbreeding, captive bred fish also tend to have more blue than the pure species. The fish shown here has lots of blue in its dorsal fin while pure breeds just have an ice blue edging on the top of that fin. This variety was also intentionally bred to enhance its orange color.

Like all Peacocks cichlids, the Sunshine Peacock may be so inbred that true strains can be hard to find unless the specimen is wild caught (and they are not currently being collected) or from a reputable dealer. Be careful not to confused this fish with the Nkhomo-benga Peacock Aulonocara baenschi, which is also sometimes called the Sunshine Peacock. Although both these peacocks have a strong yellow body coloring, the Nkhono-benga Peacock can be distinguished by the solid bright blue coloring on its head.

Food and feeding

Sunshine Peacocks prefer live foods like brine shrimp and blood worms but will accept quality flakes and pellets.

Origin

Sunshine Peacocks originate from Lake Malawi, Africa.

Aquarium Care

Peacocks are hardy fish, but like all Malawi Cichlids, they will deteriorate under poor water conditions. The Malawi fish are usually kept at a higher pH, which means that ammonia is more lethal, so regular water changes are a must. They are also a messy fish because they eat mostly protein foods, which puts an additional biological load on the filtration system. The tank will need water changes of between 20 - 50% a week, depending on the bio load.

• Water Changes: Weekly - Suggested water changes of 20-50% a week, as these are messy fish producing a heavy bio load.

Aquarium Setup

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 slightly 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.

• Minimum Tank Size: 55 gal (208 L) - A 55 gallon tank minimum is suggested for a single fish, with 100 gallons or more for a group.
• Suitable for Nano Tank: No
• Substrate Type: Any
• Lighting Needs: Low - subdued lighting - They prefer subdued lighting.
• Temperature: 73.0 to 84.0° F (22.8 to 28.9° C)
• Range ph: 7.7-8.6
• Hardness Range: 6 - 10 dGH
• Brackish: Sometimes - Salt is not found in their natural environment, but they do have a slight tolerance, keep levels below 10% - a specific gravity of less than 1.0002.
• Water Movement: Moderate
• Water Region: Bottom - These fish will tend to swim in the bottom areas of the aquarium.

Social Behaviors

The Sunshine Peacock are much more peaceful than other Malawi cichlids so are best kept with their own kind. Mbunas are not good tankmates for the Sunshine Peacock. If they are kept with unsuitable tankmates they may be eaten, especially the small females, or they will not get enough to eat.

This cichlid is best kept alone, or as a group of one male and two females. They are peaceful toward those of the same species as long as there are not two males. More than one male works only in a tank that is very large and can support different territories.

Try to not house with other Aulonocara species to prevent hybridization. This cichlid 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. You can use dither fish such as Rainbowfish Melanotaenia sp. and/or Congo Tetras Phenacogrammus interruptus, because sometimes they can be very shy fish.

• Temperament: Semi-aggressive
• Compatible with:
  • Same species - conspecifics: Yes - One male can be kept with 2 females in a large (100 gallon+) tank. Two males will fight.
  • Peaceful fish (): Monitor
  • Semi-Aggressive (): Monitor
  • Aggressive (): Threat
  • Large Semi-Aggressive (): Threat
  • Large Aggressive, Predatory (): Threat
  • Slow Swimmers & Eaters (): Threat
  • Shrimps, Crabs, Snails: Threat - is aggressive
  • Plants: Monitor

Sexing

Males tend to be larger than the females with more coloration.

Breeding

Peacock cichlids are mouth brooders. The female will lay her eggs on a rocky surface but collect them in her mouth after fertilization. The female will mouth brood for about 4 weeks and when the fry are released they can be fed on newly hatched brine shrimp or crushed flake foods.

Lifespan

Expected life span of Sunshine Peacock is 10 years.

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.

As with most fish they are susceptible to skin flukes and other parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.), fungal infections, and bacterial infections. It is recommended to read up on the common tank diseases. Knowing the signs and catching and treating them early makes a huge difference. For information about freshwater fish diseases and illnesses


Credits 

http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/SunshinePeacock.php

http://www.badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile168.html

http://www.aqua-fish.net/show.php?h=sunshinepeacock

http://www.aqua-fish.net/show.php?h=sunshinepeacock2

http://www.aquariumlife.net/profile-images/sunshine-peacock.jpg


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Fish Data : Rubin Red Cichlids

 

Preferred Water Parameters:

• Water Temperature: 23-27 degrees celsius
• pH Level: 7.5-8.5
• General Hardness: Hard

Range: Africa: Lake Malawi

• Maximum size in aquariums (min-max):
  10 - 12 cm ( 3.94" - 4.72")
• Recommended pH of water for Ruby red peacock:
  7.5 - 8.5
• Water hardness (dGH):
  16 - 24 °N
• Recommended water temperature for Ruby red peacock:
  24 - 26 °C ( 75.2 - 78.8 °F )
• Compatibility (temperament to it's species):
  peaceful
  
• Compatibility (temperament to other fish species):
  aggressive to smaller
  
• Preferred swimming area in the aquarium:
  Middle levels

   The Rubin Red Peacock Aulonocara stuartgranti "Chipoka" is a favorite with its outstanding colors. It has bright oranges and reds strongly contrasted with bright blue markings on the face, tail, and fins. Both in its natural appearance and in color forms developed even further through captive breeding, these are some of the most sought after cichlids originating from Lake Malawi, Africa.

This cichlid is one of several well known varieties of the Flavescent Peacock Aulonocara stuartgranti. They are members of a very small group of fish that are known as the Peacock Cichlids, and they are very popular with aquarists. The Peacock Cichlids members of the Aulonocara genus which contains only about 23 species, but with many subspecies. It is the brilliant colorations of blues, reds and yellows that give this group the well deserved name of "Peacock".

    The Rubin Red Peacock pictured above is a popular captive bred color morph. It has a more reddish coloration than the pure natural form. This variety was intentionally bred to enhance its red color. With extensive inbreeding carried out in Germany, in-line bred fish have been developed into two recognized color forms, today's popular German Red Peacock as well as the 'Rubin Red Peacock. However as with all Peacock cichlids, the Aulonocara stuartgranti "Chipoka" may be so inbred that true strains are hard to find unless they are wild caught or from a reputable dealer.

   The Aulonocara, along with the Utaka Cichlids Copadichromis and other non-Mbuna's, are members of the Haplochromis group. Haplochromis is the 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.

This is a moderately sized Peacock reaching only about 5 inches (13 cm) in length. Along with its bright coloring and reasonable size it will quickly adapt to the aquarium, thus making a desirable pet. Provide open space for swimming and a lot of caves in which to hide, sleep, or breed. Water changes that are frequent also help in keeping this cichlid. They will eat a meaty diet and have an almost puppy like excitability when being fed, thus adding to their appeal.

   Be careful not to confuse these fish with their very close relative the Sunshine Peacock Aulonocara stuartgranti "Maleri". Both these Peacocks have a similar body coloring. The Sunshine Peacock is yellow in its natural form but has been developed in captive breeding for more orange in its coloring. The Aulonocara Stuartgranti "Chipoka" is naturally more orange or reddish, but it can be mistaken as is often imported under the common names Sunshine Peacock or Orange Peacock.

 Fish Keeping Difficulty

   These cichlids make a great choice for the beginning cichlid keeper, and are appealling to the advanced aquarist as well. They are easy to care for, easy to feed, and relatively undemanding aquarium residents. They are also fairly peaceful, making good inhabitants for the community tank, and will readily breed. The aquarium does need regular water changes. They are susceptible to Malawi bloat as well as the typical diseases that effect all freshwater fish if the tank is not maintained.

• Aquarium Hardiness: Moderately hardy
• Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

Foods and Feeding

    Though the Aulonocara Stuartgranti "Chipoka" is an omnivore it will eat mostly meaty foods. It there are plants in the aquarium it won't touch them. In the wild they feed on a variety of live foods, especially small bottom dwelling invertebrates. In the aquarium provide them with a meaty diet; pellets, frozen and freeze-dried daphnia, bloodworms and brine shrimp are excellent choices. Avoid tubifex worms as they contribute to a disease called "Malawi bloat." Shrimp mixes are also a good choice, and if you use the European Shrimp Mix, it costs less than other prepared foods and is just as nutritious.

Feed once a day when young and 5 to 6 times a week when adults unless they are breeding. Avoid the desire to feed this fish more often than it needs, as this will keep the water quality higher over a longer time.

• Diet Type: Omnivore - Although they may feed on zooplankton, which can contain some vegetable matter, their diet is primarily carnivorous and they mostly seek out meaty foods.
• Flake Food: Yes
• Tablet Pellet: Yes
• Live foods (fishes, shrimps, worms): Some of Diet
• Meaty Food: Most of Diet - Avoid tubifex worms, and do not offer mammal meat, as they may contribute to a disease called "Malawi bloat".
• Feeding Frequency: Daily - Juveniles can be fed daily, but adults need only 5 - 6 feedings a week.

Aquarium Care

   Peacocks are hardy fish, but like all Malawi Cichlids, they will deteriorate under poor water conditions. The Malawi fish are usually kept at a higher pH, which means that ammonia is more lethal, so regular water changes are a must. They are also a messy fish because they eat mostly protein foods, which puts an additional biological load on the filtration system. The tank will need water changes of between 20 - 50% a week, depending on the bio load.

• Water Changes: Weekly - Suggested water changes of 20-50% a week, as these are messy fish producing a heavy bio load.

Aquarium Setup

   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.

• Minimum Tank Size: 55 gal (208 L) - A 55 gallon tank minimum is suggested for a single fish, with 100 gallons or more for a group.
• Suitable for Nano Tank: No
• Substrate Type: Any
• Lighting Needs: Low - subdued lighting
• Temperature: 73.0 to 84.0° F (22.8 to 28.9° C)
• Range ph: 7.7-8.6
• Hardness Range: 6 - 10 dGH
• Brackish: Sometimes - Salt is not found in their natural environment, but they do have a slight tolerance, keep levels below 10% - a specific gravity of less than 1.0002.
• Water Movement: Moderate
• Water Region: Bottom - These fish will tend to swim in the bottom areas of the aquarium.

Social Behaviors

   The Peacock cichlids are best kept alone in a 55 gallon tank, or as a group of one male and 2 females in a 100 gallon tank. They are peaceful toward those of the same species as long as it is not 2 males, unless tank is very large and can support different territories.

The Aulonocara Stuartgranti "Chipoka" are much more peaceful than other Malawi cichlids so are best kept with their own kind. Mbunas are not good tankmates for the Sunshine Peacock. If they are kept with unsuitable tankmates they may be eaten, especially the small females, or they will not get enough to eat.

This cichlid is best kept alone, or as a group of one male and two females. They are peaceful toward those of the same species as long as there are not two males. More than one male works only in a tank that is very large and can support different territories.

Try to not house with other Aulonocara species to prevent hybridization. This cichlid 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. You can use dither fish such as Rainbowfish Melanotaenia sp. and/or Congo Tetras Phenacogrammus interruptus, because sometimes they can be very shy fish.

• Temperament: Semi-aggressive
• Compatible with:
  • Same species - conspecifics: Yes - One male can be kept with 2 females in a large (100 gallon+) tank. Two males will fight.
  • Peaceful fish (): Monitor
  • Semi-Aggressive (): Monitor
  • Aggressive (): Threat
  • Large Semi-Aggressive (): Threat
  • Large Aggressive, Predatory (): Threat
  • Slow Swimmers & Eaters (): Threat
  • Shrimps, Crabs, Snails: Threat - is aggressive
  • Plants: Monitor

Sex: Sexual differences

   Males Cichlid are more colorful with the back part of their dorsal and anal fins being sharper. Females are drabber with darker vertical bars and rounded anal and dorsal fins.

Reproduction: These cichlid is mouthbrooder: after spawning, the females incubate the eggs in their mouth until the fry are free-swimming. Males will mate with multiple females. The fry are easily raised with first foods such as baby brine shrimp. 


Reference :


http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/RubinRedPeacock.php

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k35/24Tropheus/GermanRed-1-1-1-1-1-1.jpg

http://www.aqua-fish.net/show.php?h=rubyredpeacock

http://www.coburgaquarium.com.au/sheet.php?id=113


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  If you need to support this webblog , you can buy some fish article in

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S. Ornatipinnis Catfish

Beautiful S. Ornatipinnis Catfish in the tank 

New Hybrid Catfish

This fish is a platinum cross breed cat fish (Red tailed Catfish x Tiger Shovelnose)

Fish Data : Nkhomo Benga Peacock

Common name:

Sunshine Peacock, Benga Peacock, Baensch's Peacock, Yellow Peacock Cichlid, Yellow Regal Cichlid. 

General Body Form:

Very long anal, two pelvic, and dorsal fin. Has classic cichlid shape, lots of body curve. Males tend to be larger.

Coloration:

In one word the colors are striking. Usually is yellow-orange with blue color on the face. Males tend to have more color. 

    The Nkhomo Benga Peacock Aulonocara baenschi is a relatively small Peacock cichlid that grows to an average length of about 4 - 5 inches (13 cm). It is a real eye catcher with its bright yellows accented throughout the body and head with vibrant blues. It is known by a number of common names including Benga Peacock, New Yellow Regal Peacock, Yellow Peacock, Baensch's Peacock, Sunshine Peacock, Benga Yellow Peacock, Aulonocara Benga, and Yellow Regal-Buntbarsch.

The Benga Peacock is a part of a small, but popular group of cichlids from Lake Malawi, Africa known as the Peacock Cichlids. They are members of the Aulonocara genus which has only about 28 species, but with many subspecies. It is the brilliant colorations of blues, reds and yellows that have given rise to the well deserved name of "Peacock cichlids".

    This cichlid has a limited range in the lake, so there are not as many color forms as with other Peacock cichlids that have a wider distribution. Like other peacock cichlids, this yellow beauty is easy to breed and captive bred specimens are readily available. However because the Peacocks have been so inbred, true strains are hard to find unless they are wild caught or from a reputable dealer.

The Aulonocara, along with the Utaka Cichlids Copadichromis and other non-Mbuna's, are members of the Haplochromis group. Haplochromis is the 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.

   The fish has a mellower temperament than other peacock cichlids. Even when spawning, they are less aggressive. Consequently there is a greater selection of tank mates you can keep with this cichlid species. They are also easy to care for, thus making them a desirable pet. Provide open space for swimming and a lot of caves in which to hide, sleep, or breed. Water changes that are frequent also help in keeping this cichlid. They will eat a meaty diet and have an almost puppy like excitability when being fed, thus adding to their appeal.

  The Nkhomo Benga Peacock grows to an average length of about 4 - 5 inches (13 cm) in length, though males may reach up to about 6 inches (15 cm). It can take the male up to 2 years to get its full gorgeous coloring. With proper care this fish may live up to 10 years.

The males are mostly yellow with blue coloring in different areas of the body to some being mostly blue with yellow coloring. They have a curved forehead and nose and large eyes, thus distinguishing them from the other yellow/blue peacocks such as the Aulonocara stuartgranti "maleri" male. Females are a light gray/silver with vertical brown bands running the length of the body with the dorsal, anal and tail fin being clearish ice blue to clear or light brown, depending on location. The females do seem to have a very faint yellow patch in the front middle area.

This peacock cichlid has limited distribution, so there are not as many color forms as other Peacocks. There are said to be four color morphs, but there may be more. These four include:

• Nkhomo Benga
  The Peacock from this area is called the Yellow Regal Cichlid, Yellow Peacock Cichlid and the Sunshine Peacock Cichlid. It has the coloring that is the most popular. It is a basic yellow all over with blue pale vertical stripes. The lower half of the head is blue and the back tail does not seem to have much if any marbling.
   
• Chipoka
  This Peacock coloring has an electric blue head, yellow forehead, pelvic fins, anal and dorsal fins and body with several vertical lighter blue bands that begin just behind the pelvic fins and alternate with blue to the tail. The tailfin is marbled in light blue and an orange/yellow.
   
• Marleri
  This Peacock coloring is a little different, having a blue head, not just the bottom half. The anal, dorsal, and pelvic fins are yellow as well as the forehead. The body has 13 or more vertical stripes "in the background" that alternate from white and blue. On top of this background are a muted pale yellow. The caudal fin has a mix of blue stripes over an orange coloring.
   
• Usisya
  This Peacock coloring is similar to the Marleri variety, except the vertical stripes are very pale. The dorsal, anal and pectoral fins are very dark blue/black and the tail fin is yellow with blue stripes.

   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: 5.1 inches (13.00 cm) - This cichlid grows to an average length of about 4-5" (13 cm). Males can reach up to about 6" (15.24 cm) in the wild, but are generally smaller in the aquarium.
• Lifespan: 6 years - They have a lifespan of 6 to 10 years with proper care

 Natural habitat: sandy bottoms that have a few rocks around Nkhomo reef.

 Natural foods/prey: small invertebrates found in the sand and other small fish.

Water chemistry in the wild: pH 7.5-9.0, 10-11 dH.

Predators: birds and other fish.

 Minimum tank size: standard 3ft for a small colony but a larger tank is preferred

Sex ratio: ideal would be 1m and 4-6f

Tolerance of conspecifics: usually quite peaceful with only the occasional chase when a males territory is invaded.

Tolerance of heterospecifics: good - should only be kept with other peaceful Malawis.

Water chemistry in aquaria: pH: 7.2-8.2, general hardness 10-20 gH, carbonate hardness 4-9 dKH

Temperature range: 23-27 degrees Celsius, can tolerate slightly higher temperatures temporarily but optimum is 25

Feeding :

• Diet Type: Omnivore - Although they may feed on some vegetable matter in the wild, their diet is primarily carnivorous and they mostly seek out meaty foods.
• Flake Food: Yes
• Tablet Pellet: Yes
• Live foods (fishes, shrimps, worms): Some of Diet
• Meaty Food: Most of Diet - Avoid tubifex worms, and do not offer mammal meat, as they may contribute to a disease called "Malawi bloat".
• Feeding Frequency: Daily - Juveniles can be fed daily, but adults need only 5 - 6 feedings a week

Water Changes: Weekly - Suggested water changes of 20-50% a week, as these are messy fish producing a heavy bio load.

Aquarium Setup

    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 minimum 40 gallon aquarium is suggested for a single specimen with 100 gallons or more being recommended for a school. They do fine in either freshwater or slightly brackish freshwater but need good water movement along with very strong and efficient filtration. They prefer subdued lighting.

Some rock decor is good to create hiding places and areas of retreat. Make sure to provide open space that offers plenty of swimming room on the bottom of the tank. A sandy substrate with smoother rocks is good for hiding and staking out territories. Be careful in your selections as their large eyes can be injured on sharp rocks. Gravel is acceptable as well. 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. 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.

• Minimum Tank Size: 40 gal (151 L) - A 40 gallon tank minimum is suggested for a single fish, but a larger tank, 100 gallons or more, is best for a group.
• Suitable for Nano Tank: No
• Substrate Type: Any
• Lighting Needs: Low - subdued lighting
• Temperature: 73.0 to 84.0° F (22.8 to 28.9° C)
• Range ph: 7.8-8.6
• Hardness Range: 10 - 18 dGH
• Brackish: Sometimes - Salt is not found in their natural environment, but they do have a slight tolerance, keep levels below 10% - a specific gravity of less than 1.0002.
• Water Movement: Moderate
• Water Region: Bottom - These fish will tend to swim in the bottom areas of the aquarium.

Social Behaviors

The Nkhomo Benga Peacock can be kept alone, but does better as a group consisting of one male and 6 females in a 100 gallon tank. They are peaceful toward those of the same species as long as it is not 2 males, unless tank is very large and can support different territories.

This fish can kept with their own kind as well as with a mix of other more peaceful similar sized and tempered Malawi cichlids, and a few rainbow fish as well. If they are kept with unsuitable tankmates they may be eaten, especially the small females, or they will not get enough to eat.

Mbunas are not good tankmates for the more peaceful Peacocks. Try to not house with other Aulonocaras to prevent hybridization. They can be kept with Utakas. Good tankmates include friendly Haplochromis like the Blue Moorii Cyrtocara moorii, Sulphur-Crested Lithobate or Red-top Aristochromis Otopharynx lithobates, and the Copadichromis species.

• Temperament: Semi-aggressive
• Compatible with:
  • Same species - conspecifics: Yes - They do best in groups of one male kept with 6 females in a large (100 gallon+) tank. Two males will fight.
  • Peaceful fish (): Safe
  • Semi-Aggressive (): Monitor
  • Aggressive (): Threat
  • Large Semi-Aggressive (): Threat
  • Large Aggressive, Predatory (): Threat
  • Slow Swimmers & Eaters (): Threat
  • Shrimps, Crabs, Snails: Threat - is aggressive
  • Plants: Monitor

Breeding / Reproduction 

   The Nkhomo Benga Peacock has been bred in captivity. All Cichlid parents tend to their young, making them easy to breed. Keep 6 females with one male in a 40 gallon tank for the best breeding success. Males are very rough on the females so there is a need to "spread out" the aggression. The male will display an intense coloration to attract the females. They should have their own breeding tank as a couple guarding their babies can be a force to reckon with and this aggression is acted out on other tank mates.

   It is difficult to witness a spawning of this peacock because it is done secretly in a cave. They are mouth brooders. This is where the females will lay the eggs and then pick them up in their mouths. After that they pick at the male's anal fin to get him to produce "milt" or sperm. The female will then take this milt into her mouth and the eggs are fertilized at that time. She will carry 20 to 40 of them in her mouth until the fry are old enough to be able to feed on their own. With other Peacocks this takes around 21 days so it is assumed the same is true for this fish. She will nibble and eat next to nothing during this time. Never house fry from different strains in the same tank, as it will be almost impossible to tell the fry and juveniles apart (until they grow).

Credits :

http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/NkhomoBengaPeacock.php

http://www.badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile168.html

http://www.sydneycichlid.com/sunshine-peacock-cichlid.htm

http://www.aquariumlife.net/profile-images/sunshine-peacock.jpg

 

Fish Data : Maulana Bicolor Peacock

 

   The Maulana Bicolor Peacock Aulonocara stuartgranti "Maulana" is a beautiful and distinctive Peacock. It is easily recognized by its bluish head and body with a wide band of yellow just behind the head that extends into its pectoral fins. This two-toned cichlid is also known as the Bicolor Peacock, Aulonocara Maulana "Bi-Color 500" and the Aulonocara stuartgranti "Maulana Bi-Color 500".

    This is one of the well known varieties of the Flavescent Peacock Aulonocara stuartgranti. They are members of a very small group of fish from Lake Malawi, Africa known as the Peacock Cichlids, and they are very popular with aquarists. The Peacock Cichlids are placed in the Aulonocara genus which contains only about 23 species, but with many subspecies. It is the brilliant colorations of blues, reds and yellows that give this group the well deserved name of "Peacock".

This beautiful Bicolor Peacock is named after Alfred Maulana who was one of Stuart Grant's divers. Stuart Grant is the only licensed exporter of Malawi fishes. Like all Peacocks today however, this fish may be so inbred that true strains are hard to find unless they are wild caught or from a reputable dealer.

This is a smaller sized cichlid that reaches only about 2 - 4 inches (9 -10 cm) in length. It is very similar in appearance to another variety of Flavescent Peacock, its close relative the Maison's Peacock Aulonocara stuartgranti "maisoni". The "Maisoni" variety usually doesn't have the the wide yellow band behind the head (or it is very slight) and it is also larger reaching about 5" (12 cm) in length. Both these varieties are collected along the west coast of Lake Malawi in the area of Chitimba Bay. The Maulana Bicolor Peacock is found in shallower waters at about 16 feet (5 m). The "Maisoni" variety is found in deeper waters about 1 1/2 miles (2.5 km) from shore.

   The Aulonocara, along with the Utaka Cichlids Copadichromis and other non-Mbuna's, are members of the Haplochromis group. Haplochromis is the 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.

Like all the Peacocks these fish will quickly adapt to the aquarium and are easy to care for, thus making them a desirable pet. Provide open space for swimming and a lot of caves in which to hide, sleep, or breed. Water changes that are frequent also help in keeping this cichlid. They will eat a meaty diet and have an almost puppy like excitability when being fed, thus adding to their appeal.

Preferred Water Parameters:

• Water Temperature: 23-27 degrees celsius
• pH Level: 7.5-8.5
• General Hardness: Hard

Range: Africa: Lake Malawi

   The Maulana Bicolor Peacock is a smaller variety of Aulonocara stuartgranti. It only grows to a length of about 2 - 4 inches (9 -10 cm). Peacock cichlids have a life span of about 6 to 10 years with proper care.

   The body of the male is blue with darker vertical bars. There is a wide band of yellow just behind a bluish 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 quite drab, a maroonish color with no apparent (or very slightly apparent) darker vertical bars.

   With different coloring depending on location in Lake Malawi, some of the other popular varieties of this species include the Sunshine Peacock Aulonocara stuartgranti "Maleri", the Flametail Peacock Aulonocara stuartgranti "Ngara" and two in-line bred colorforms of the Aulonocara stuartgranti "Chipoka"; the German Red Peacock and the Rubin Red Peacock.

   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: 3.9 inches (10.01 cm) - This is a smaller peacock cichlid, reaching a length of only about 2 - 4" (9 -10 cm).
• Lifespan: 6 years - They have a lifespan of 6 to 10 years with proper care.

Aquarium Setup

   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.

• Minimum Tank Size: 55 gal (208 L) - A 55 gallon tank minimum is suggested for a single fish, with 100 gallons or more for a group.
• Suitable for Nano Tank: No
• Substrate Type: Any
• Lighting Needs: Low - subdued lighting
• Temperature: 73.0 to 84.0° F (22.8 to 28.9° C)
• Range ph: 7.7-8.6
• Hardness Range: 6 - 10 dGH
• Brackish: Sometimes - Salt is not found in their natural environment, but they do have a slight tolerance, keep levels below 10% - a specific gravity of less than 1.0002.
• Water Movement: Moderate
• Water Region: Bottom - These fish will tend to swim in the bottom areas of the aquarium.

Feeding:

• Diet Type: Omnivore - Although they may feed on zooplankton which can contain some vegetable matter, their diet is primarily carnivorous and they mostly seek out meaty foods.
• Flake Food: Yes
• Tablet Pellet: Yes
• Live foods (fishes, shrimps, worms): Some of Diet
• Meaty Food: Most of Diet - Avoid tubifex worms, and do not offer mammal meat, as they may contribute to a disease called "Malawi bloat".
• Feeding Frequency: Daily - Juveniles can be fed daily, but adults need only 5 - 6 feedings a week.

Additional Comments: Peacock Cichlids are among some of the most popular of Malawi Cichlids, available in a wide range of colours including the albino which also usually becomes very red when mature. Provide plenty of rocky areas for hiding places.

Reproduction: Mouthbrooder: after spawning, the females incubate the eggs in their mouth until the fry are free-swimming. Males will mate with multiple females. The fry are easily raised with first foods such as baby brine shrimp.


Credit :

http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/MaulanaBicolorPeacock.php

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/a_maulana.php

http://www.coburgaquarium.com.au/sheet.php?id=111

http://www.cichlidforums.com/postimages/2009-03-22/251873-001.jpg