Sold as dragon blood or firefish peacock, this line is solid pink to red with no blotching, which is what separates it from an OB. Females carry more color than wild peacock females, so small fish are hard to sex. Males finish reddest and show longer, pointed dorsal and anal fins. Shade varies widely between farms, and albino dragon bloods are sold as their own line.
In the wild
Dragon bloods are a man-made Aulonocara line and no such fish lives in Lake Malawi. Sellers list them as Aulonocara sp. or Aulonocara sp. hybrid, because the cross behind them was never published. No breeder, country or decade is on record.
Good to know
Red covers the whole body here, while in wild peacocks strong color belongs to dominant males and sits mostly on the fins and face. Peacock reds are largely carotenoid based, and keepers report a fish deepening or fading with the color content of what it is fed. Being a hybrid line, spawns come out uneven and breeders cull hard for even coverage.
Did you know
Firefish is the other name on the tag, and it collides with the marine firefish goby, an unrelated saltwater fish. Search that name on its own and half the results are a reef fish with nothing to do with Lake Malawi.
Common questions
Is a Dragon blood peacock a different species from the OB peacock cichlid?
No. A Dragon blood peacock is a variety of the OB peacock cichlid, Aulonocara hybrid, and it wants the same tank, water and food as the species.
What size tank does a Dragon blood peacock need?
A Dragon blood peacock needs at least 63 gal (240 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
How big does a Dragon blood peacock get?
An adult Dragon blood peacock reaches about 5.9 in (15 cm).
5.9 in (15 cm)74 gal (280 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
5.1 in (13 cm)74 gal (280 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
5.1 in (13 cm)74 gal (280 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
4.3 in (11 cm)63 gal (240 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
4.3 in (11 cm)66 gal (250 L)77–82°F (25–28°C)
4.1 in (10.5 cm)63 gal (240 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)