Yellow peacock cichlid
Aulonocara baenschi
10 cm
Adult size
250 L
Minimum volume
4
Minimum group
8 years
Lifespan
Water parameters
Understand these values- Genus
- Aulonocara
- Diet
- carnivore
- Social life
- small group
In the wild
Overview
Described in 1985 by Manfred Meyer and Rüdiger Riehl, Aulonocara baenschi is one of the “peacocks” of Lake Malawi: the adult male sports a bright yellow coat with blue sheens on the head. It is also sold as “yellow peacock” or “Nkhomo-benga”.
Like all Aulonocara, it has large sensory pores on the head that let it detect the vibrations of invertebrates hidden in the sand. It is listed as critically endangered by the IUCN, as its range is limited to a few sites on the west coast of the lake.
- Scientific name
- Aulonocara baenschi Meyer & Riehl, 1985
- Classification
- Cichliformes › Cichlidae
- IUCN Red List
- Critically endangered (CR)
Natural habitat
Endemic to Lake Malawi: west coast (Usisya, Nkhomo reef, Benga, Maleri islands, Chipoka)
Observations (GBIF) and localities Native countries Rivers and lakes
It is endemic to Lake Malawi, where it is known from Usisya, Nkhomo reef, Benga, the Maleri islands and Chipoka, on the western shore.
It lives in intermediate zones, where rocky shores give way to sandy bottoms scattered with rocks, usually between 4 and 6 m deep, sometimes down to 16 m. The water is warm, hard and alkaline.
Behaviour
Fairly peaceful, it becomes aggressive towards fish of similar colour, especially other yellow males. Keep a single male with 4 to 6 females, and no other Aulonocara, with which it readily hybridises; most mbuna are too boisterous.
It feeds by sifting sand or hunting small invertebrates that it detects by touch. A mouthbrooder, the female keeps the eggs and fry in her mouth.
Sources:FishBase Seriously Fish GBIF · Base map: Natural Earth