Blue orchid peacock

Aulonocara kandeense

Also known as Kande Island peacock, Kandeense aulonocara

FreshwaterFish

Blue orchid peacock (Aulonocara kandeense) — The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature: 75–81°F (24–27°C)
pH: 7.5–8.5
Adult size: 3.9 in (10 cm)
Minimum tank: 63 gal (240 L)
Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Lake Malawi, Kande Island
Family: Cichlidae

Overview

The blue orchid peacock is a Kande Island form of Malawi peacock, kept as a harem of one male to several females so his mild aggression is shared out. It forages low in the tank over open sand between rock piles, using its sensory head pits to find small prey in the substrate. It is relatively peaceful, so house it with other calm peacocks and haps of similar size rather than boisterous mbuna, and keep only one male of a given peacock type to avoid hybrids and fighting. Feed sinking pellets and frozen foods such as mysis, cyclops, and brine shrimp. A tank of around 240 liters or more, at least four feet long, gives the group space.

In the wild

Aulonocara kandeense is endemic to Kande Island in Lake Malawi, living where rock gives way to open sand. Set up a sandy floor with rock structures and caves at one end and clear sand for foraging at the other. Lake Malawi water is hard, alkaline, and warm, so hold 24 to 27 C and a pH of 7.5 to 8.5 with strong, steady filtration.

Good to know

Aulonocara kandeense belongs to the cichlid family and reaches about 10 centimeters. Dominant males are deep blue-black with a white-edged dorsal fin and yellow flashes in the tail, while females are plain brown. It is a maternal mouthbrooder of medium difficulty, the female incubating eggs and fry in her mouth for around three weeks before releasing them.

Did you know

Because it comes from a single island and its blue is easily muddied by crossing with other peacocks, keeping pure Kande Island stock matters to hobbyists. The deep blue of a good male is where the orchid in its name comes from.

Tank mates

Blue orchid peacock is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.