TankBud

Gertrude's peacock

Aulonocara gertrudae

Also known as Gertrudae aulonocara

FreshwaterFish

Gertrude's peacock (Aulonocara gertrudae)

Care at a glance

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

Overview

Gertrude's peacock is a calm, sand-dwelling peacock from Lake Malawi. It is best with a little experience.

Did you know

Ad Konings described this peacock in 1995 and named it for his wife, Gertrud. Much of Lake Malawi's scientific record doubles as a record of the people who spent their lives studying its fishes.

Caring for the Gertrude's peacock

A group of Gertrude's peacocks is comfortable in at least 74 gal (280 L). Give them a soft, open sand bed with a few stones rather than a wall of rock. Leave plenty of clear floor, with a scattering of rocks to break up sight lines. They live close to the bottom, cruising open sand and pausing to sift mouthfuls in search of food.

Keep the water hard and alkaline like the lake, at 75 to 81°F (24 to 27°C) and a pH of 7.5 to 8.5. Feed sinking pellets and frozen foods such as brine shrimp, mysis and cyclops.

Gertrude's peacock is calm in temperament, and best kept as one male with several females. That spreads his attention rather than aiming it at a single fish. It mixes well with other peaceful Malawi peacocks and haps of similar size, so it does not need a species tank.

The male guards a small patch of sand at spawning time. It is a mouthbrooder, and after spawning the female takes the eggs into her mouth and broods them there. Breeding it is of moderate difficulty.

Good to know

Aulonocara gertrudae is a cichlid in the family Cichlidae, and one of the largest and most robust sand-dwelling peacocks. Like all Aulonocara, it carries enlarged sensory pores along the head. These pick up the movement of prey hidden in the sand.

In the wild

Gertrude's peacock lives over the sandy and muddy floors of Lake Malawi, often near river mouths. It hunts small invertebrates buried in the substrate.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Gertrude'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 Gertrude's peacock need?

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

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

A Gertrude's peacock is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 7.5–8.5.

What does a Gertrude's peacock eat?

A Gertrude's peacock eats sinking pellets and frozen foods such as brine shrimp, mysis and cyclops.

How big does a Gertrude's peacock get?

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

How does a Gertrude's peacock breed?

Gertrude's peacock is a mouthbrooder. After spawning, the female takes the eggs into her mouth and broods them there, and breeding is of moderate difficulty.

Related species