TankBud

Sulfurhead peacock

Aulonocara maylandi

Also known as Sulfur head peacock, Apache peacock, Maylandi

FreshwaterFish

Sulfurhead peacock (Aulonocara maylandi)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

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
Mouthbrooder · Easy
Rarity
Common
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Rocky and sandy transition zones of Lake Malawi in East Africa.

Overview

The sulfurhead peacock is a peaceful, easy-to-keep cichlid for a hard-water Malawi tank.

Did you know

The sulfurhead peacock's glowing yellow band over its head and back is the reason for both of its trade names, sulfurhead and apache.

Caring for the sulfurhead peacock

Keep one male sulfurhead peacock with several females in at least 66 gal (250 L). Give them a sand bottom with rock cover. They stay near the bottom of the tank.

Keep the water hard and alkaline, at 77 to 82°F (25 to 28°C) with a pH of 7.8 to 8.6. Feed sinking pellets and frozen foods such as mysis and brine shrimp.

It is peaceful for a cichlid and belongs with other peacocks and calm haps. Keep it away from aggressive mbuna, which outcompete it for food.

Males are dark blue to black, with a bright yellow stripe running from the forehead along the top of the back. It is a maternal mouthbrooder, so the females hold the eggs in their mouths. Breeding it is easy.

Good to know

The sulfurhead peacock, Aulonocara maylandi, is one of the smaller Aulonocara species. Like all peacocks, it uses sensitive pores on its face to sense prey buried in sand.

In the wild

The sulfurhead peacock lives where rock meets sand in Lake Malawi, in East Africa. It hunts small animals over the sand.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The 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.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

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.

What does a sulfurhead peacock eat?

A sulfurhead peacock eats sinking pellets and frozen foods, such as mysis and brine shrimp.

How big does a sulfurhead peacock get?

An adult sulfurhead peacock reaches about 4.3 in (11 cm).

How can you tell a male sulfurhead peacock from a female?

Males are dark blue to black and carry a bright yellow stripe from the forehead along the back.

How does a sulfurhead peacock breed?

Sulfurhead peacocks are maternal mouthbrooders, so the female holds the eggs in her mouth. Breeding them is easy.

Related species