TankBud

Grant's peacock

Aulonocara stuartgranti

Also known as Flavescent peacock, Blue neon peacock, Usisya peacock

FreshwaterFish

Grant's peacock (Aulonocara stuartgranti)
Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net). · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F
24–28°C
pH
7.6–8.6
Adult size
5.1 in
13 cm
Minimum tank
74 gal
280 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, where it hunts over open sand near rock piles.

Overview

Keep a single male with several females in a tank of at least 280 liters with a sand bottom and rock piles for cover. Water should be hard and alkaline, 24 to 28 C with a pH near 7.6 to 8.6. They mix well with other peacocks and calmer haps but should not share a tank with rowdy mbuna. Feed sinking pellets and frozen foods like brine shrimp and mysis, and avoid heavy protein loads.

In the wild

Grant's peacock lives along the rocky and sandy borders of Lake Malawi at depths of a few meters. It hovers just above open sand and uses sensory pores on its face to detect small invertebrates buried in the substrate. Males hold territories around rocks while females and juveniles roam in loose groups.

Good to know

Aulonocara stuartgranti belongs to the peacock group of Malawi haplochromines. Many trade names such as Blue Neon, Ngara and Usisya are geographic color forms of this one species. Only dominant males show the bright blue and orange coloring, so subordinate males and females stay drab.

Did you know

Different collecting sites around the lake produce such different colors that hobbyists often keep them under trade names without realizing they are all the same fish.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

Grant's 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 Grant's peacock need?

A Grant's peacock needs at least 74 gal (280 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Grant's peacock need?

A Grant's peacock is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 7.6–8.6.

How big does a Grant's peacock get?

An adult Grant's peacock reaches about 5.1 in (13 cm).

Related species