Sulfurhead peacock
Aulonocara maylandi
Also known as Sulfur head peacock, Apache peacock, Maylandi
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 77–82°F
- 25–28°C
- pH
- 7.8–8.6
- Adult size
- 4.3 in
- 11 cm
- Minimum tank
- 66 gal
- 250 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Social
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Breeding
- Easy
- Rarity
- Common
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Origin
- Rocky and sandy transition zones of Lake Malawi in East Africa.
Overview
Keep one male with several females in a tank of at least 250 liters with sand and rock cover. Water should be hard and alkaline at 25 to 28 C, pH 7.8 to 8.6. It is peaceful for a cichlid and belongs with other peacocks and calm haps, not aggressive mbuna that outcompete it for food. Feed sinking pellets and frozen foods like mysis and brine shrimp.
In the wild
The sulfurhead peacock lives where rock meets sand in Lake Malawi. Males are dark blue to black with a bright yellow stripe running from the forehead along the top of the back. Like other peacocks it hunts small animals over the sand.
Good to know
Aulonocara maylandi is a maternal mouthbrooder and, like all peacocks, uses sensitive pores on its face to sense prey buried in sand. The vivid yellow crest and dorsal stripe give it the sulfurhead name. It is one of the smaller Aulonocara species.
Did you know
The glowing yellow band over its head and back is the reason for both of its trade names, sulfurhead and apache.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
Sulfurhead peacock is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.
Common questions
What size tank does a Sulfurhead peacock need?
A Sulfurhead peacock needs at least 66 gal (250 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does a Sulfurhead peacock need?
A Sulfurhead peacock is comfortable at 77–82°F (25–28°C) with a pH of 7.8–8.6.
How big does a Sulfurhead peacock get?
An adult Sulfurhead peacock reaches about 4.3 in (11 cm).
Related species
4.3 in (11 cm)63 gal (240 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Konings' peacock
Aulonocara koningsi
4.3 in (11 cm) · 63 gal (240 L)
4.1 in (10.5 cm)63 gal (240 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Red shoulder peacock
Aulonocara hansbaenschi
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3.9 in (10 cm)63 gal (240 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Blue gold peacock
Aulonocara korneliae
3.9 in (10 cm) · 63 gal (240 L)
3.9 in (10 cm)63 gal (240 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Blue orchid peacock
Aulonocara kandeense
3.9 in (10 cm) · 63 gal (240 L)
3.9 in (10 cm)63 gal (240 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Night aulonocara
Aulonocara hueseri
3.9 in (10 cm) · 63 gal (240 L)
5.1 in (13 cm)74 gal (280 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Gertrude's peacock
Aulonocara gertrudae
5.1 in (13 cm) · 74 gal (280 L)