TankBud

Chitande aulonocara

Aulonocara ethelwynnae

Also known as Northern aulonocara, Chitande peacock

FreshwaterFish

Chitande aulonocara (Aulonocara ethelwynnae)

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–81°F
24–27°C
pH
7.5–8.5
Adult size
3.5 in
9 cm
Minimum tank
63 gal
240 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Mouthbrooder · Medium
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Lake Malawi, Chitande

Overview

The Chitande aulonocara is a peacock cichlid that lives near the bottom, over sand. It is peaceful for a Malawi cichlid and suits a keeper with some experience.

Did you know

The Chitande aulonocara, like other peacock cichlids, hunts by feel as much as by sight. It hovers over open sand and reads the tiny vibrations of insect larvae and other prey moving under the surface. Enlarged sensory pores on its head pick these up, and it darts down to snatch the prey.

Caring for the Chitande aulonocara

Give the Chitande aulonocara at least 63 gal (240 L), with an open floor of fine sand that it needs for feeding. Add scattered rocks and low caves at the edges, for the females and for shelter. Keep the water hard and alkaline, at 75 to 81°F (24 to 27°C) and a pH of 7.5 to 8.5.

It hangs just above the sand and rock, hunting small invertebrates it detects buried in the substrate. Feed small sinking foods, frozen bloodworm and brine shrimp.

Keep it as a harem, one male with several females, which spreads the male's attention and lets him show his best bronze-blue color. It mixes with other calm, hard-water species.

When breeding, males take on iridescent blue color and defend a small patch of sand to court over. Like all peacocks, it is a maternal mouthbrooder, and the female incubates the eggs and fry in her mouth. Breeding it is moderately hard.

Good to know

The Chitande aulonocara is one of the smallest of the peacock cichlids, in the family Cichlidae. Its scientific name, Aulonocara ethelwynnae, honors Ethelwynn Trewavas, the British ichthyologist who described many Lake Malawi cichlids.

In the wild

The Chitande aulonocara comes from the northwestern shore of Lake Malawi near Chitande. It hunts along the transition between open sand and broken rock, in hard, alkaline water.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Chitande aulonocara 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 Chitande aulonocara need?

A Chitande aulonocara needs at least 63 gal (240 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Chitande aulonocara need?

A Chitande aulonocara is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 7.5–8.5.

What does a Chitande aulonocara eat?

A Chitande aulonocara eats small sinking foods, frozen bloodworm and brine shrimp. It hunts small invertebrates it detects buried in the substrate.

How big does a Chitande aulonocara get?

An adult Chitande aulonocara reaches about 3.5 in (9 cm).

How does a Chitande aulonocara breed?

A Chitande aulonocara is a maternal mouthbrooder, and the female incubates the eggs and fry in her mouth. Males take on iridescent blue color and court over a small patch of sand they defend. Breeding it is moderately hard.

Related species