TankBud

Eureka red peacock

Aulonocara jacobfreibergi

FreshwaterFish

Eureka red peacock (Aulonocara jacobfreibergi)
Lerdsuwa · CC BY-SA 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
77–84°F
25–29°C
pH
7.5–8.5
Adult size
6.7 in
17 cm
Minimum tank
114 gal
430 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Mouthbrooder · Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Lake Malawi

Overview

The Eureka red peacock is a Malawi cichlid for the middle water of a large, sandy tank. It suits a keeper moving on from beginner fish.

Did you know

Aulonocara peacocks like the Eureka red hunt using rows of sensory pores along the lower jaw. They hover motionless over the sand, sensing the tiny movements of buried invertebrates, then dart down and snap them up. It is closer to listening than looking.

Caring for the Eureka red peacock

Give Eureka red peacocks a roomy tank of at least 114 gal (430 L). They forage over the sand, sifting it for small invertebrates, so a fine sand bed matters. Add piles of rock for caves and sight breaks.

Keep the water hard at 77 to 84°F (25 to 29°C) and a pH of 7.5 to 8.5, and hold it steady. Feed quality cichlid pellets with some frozen food and a bit of vegetable matter. Avoid foods heavy in mammal protein, which Malawi cichlids handle poorly.

Eureka red peacocks are mostly peaceful for a cichlid, but males get territorial, especially when breeding. Keep one male with several females.

Males show heavy red and blue color, while females stay drab. They are maternal mouthbrooders. The female holds the fertilized eggs and fry in her mouth for a few weeks, until they are free swimming. Breeding them is hard.

Good to know

The Eureka red peacock, Aulonocara jacobfreibergi, is a Malawi cichlid in the family Cichlidae. Its wild populations are stable.

In the wild

Eureka red peacocks live along the rocky shores of Lake Malawi in East Africa, over sand near the rocks. The lake water is hard, alkaline and very stable, with few plants.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Eureka red peacock is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the middle. 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 Eureka red peacock need?

A Eureka red peacock needs at least 114 gal (430 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a Eureka red peacock need?

A Eureka red peacock is comfortable at 77–84°F (25–29°C) with a pH of 7.5–8.5.

What does a Eureka red peacock eat?

A Eureka red peacock eats quality cichlid pellets with some frozen food and a bit of vegetable matter. It also sifts the sand for small invertebrates, and it handles foods heavy in mammal protein poorly.

How big does a Eureka red peacock get?

An adult Eureka red peacock reaches about 6.7 in (17 cm).

How can you tell a male Eureka red peacock from a female?

Males show heavy red and blue color. Females stay drab.

How does a Eureka red peacock breed?

Eureka red peacocks are maternal mouthbrooders. The female holds the fertilized eggs and fry in her mouth for a few weeks, until they are free swimming. Breeding them is hard.

Related species