Konings' peacock
Aulonocara koningsi
Also known as Mbenji peacock, Koningsi aulonocara, Blue regal peacock, Mbenji royal blue peacock
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–81°F
- 24–27°C
- pH
- 7.5–8.5
- Adult size
- 4.3 in
- 11 cm
- Minimum tank
- 63 gal
- 240 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Social
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Mouthbrooder · Medium
- Rarity
- Common
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Origin
- Lake Malawi, Mbenji Island
Overview
The Konings' peacock is a Lake Malawi peacock cichlid that lives near the sandy bottom. It is of middling difficulty to keep.
Did you know
The Konings' peacock is named for Konings, who described half the peacocks on the shelf. His colleagues returned the favor by naming this one after him.
Caring for the Konings' peacock
Give Konings' peacocks at least 63 gal (240 L), with a deep bed of fine, soft sand. Set rockwork around the edges rather than through the middle, so the male can adopt a stone edge as a display site. Peacocks hunt by hovering over the sand and listening for invertebrates moving below it, so the substrate matters more than decor.
Keep the water hard and alkaline, at 75 to 81°F (24 to 27°C) and a pH of 7.5 to 8.5. Feed a quality granule with frozen cyclops and brine shrimp, and go easy on bloodworm.
Keep a harem of one male to three or more females. The Konings' peacock is peaceful for a Malawi cichlid, so house it with other peacocks and calm haps, not mbuna.
Males layer cobalt over a copper-orange body under a sky-blue dorsal fin, while females stay plain brown, as in all peacocks. It is a maternal mouthbrooder and spawns readily. The hard part is keeping bloodlines clean, because peacock species hybridize easily.
Good to know
The Konings' peacock, Aulonocara koningsi, is a peacock cichlid in the family Cichlidae. A male's color holds year round once he matures.
In the wild
The Konings' peacock is restricted to Mbenji Island in Lake Malawi. There it works the sand aprons at the base of the rocks.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The Konings' 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.
Common questions
What size tank does a Konings' peacock need?
A Konings' peacock needs at least 63 gal (240 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does a Konings' peacock need?
A Konings' peacock is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 7.5–8.5.
What does a Konings' peacock eat?
A Konings' peacock eats a quality granule with frozen cyclops and brine shrimp. Keep bloodworm to a minimum.
How big does a Konings' peacock get?
An adult Konings' peacock reaches about 4.3 in (11 cm).
How can you tell a male Konings' peacock from a female?
Males layer cobalt over a copper-orange body under a sky-blue dorsal fin. Females stay plain brown.
How does a Konings' peacock breed?
The Konings' peacock is a maternal mouthbrooder that spawns readily. The harder part is keeping bloodlines clean, since peacock species hybridize easily.
Related species
4.3 in (11 cm)66 gal (250 L)77–82°F (25–28°C)Sulfurhead peacock
Aulonocara maylandi
4.3 in (11 cm) · 66 gal (250 L)
4.1 in (10.5 cm)63 gal (240 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Red shoulder peacock
Aulonocara hansbaenschi
4.1 in (10.5 cm) · 63 gal (240 L)
3.9 in (10 cm)63 gal (240 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Blue gold peacock
Aulonocara korneliae
3.9 in (10 cm) · 63 gal (240 L)
3.9 in (10 cm)63 gal (240 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Blue orchid peacock
Aulonocara kandeense
3.9 in (10 cm) · 63 gal (240 L)
3.9 in (10 cm)63 gal (240 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Night aulonocara
Aulonocara hueseri
3.9 in (10 cm) · 63 gal (240 L)
5.1 in (13 cm)74 gal (280 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Gertrude's peacock
Aulonocara gertrudae
5.1 in (13 cm) · 74 gal (280 L)