Night aulonocara

Aulonocara hueseri

Also known as White top aulonocara, Hueseri peacock, Midnight peacock

FreshwaterFish

Night aulonocara (Aulonocara hueseri) — The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature: 75–81°F (24–27°C)
pH: 7.5–8.5
Adult size: 3.9 in (10 cm)
Minimum tank: 63 gal (240 L)
Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Lake Malawi, Likoma Island
Family: Cichlidae

Overview

The night aulonocara is a peaceful peacock cichlid from Lake Malawi, best kept as a harem of one male with several females. It forages over sand near rock, so it counts as a bottom-oriented fish, and it is mild-mannered, which means it mixes best with other calm Malawi cichlids rather than rowdy mbuna that will outmuscle it. Feed small sinking foods such as quality granules, frozen cyclops, brine shrimp and mysis. Give it a tank of at least 240 liters with an open sand floor for foraging and rockwork for the male to hold a territory. Softer lighting shows its colors at their best.

In the wild

Aulonocara hueseri comes from deeper sandy areas near rock around Likoma Island in Lake Malawi. The lake is hard and alkaline, so aim for a temperature range of 24–27 C and a pH of 7.5–8.5. Give it a floor of fine sand to forage over, with rock structure for shelter and spawning, and keep the lighting subdued to suit a fish from dimmer, deeper water.

Good to know

Aulonocara hueseri belongs to the cichlid family and reaches about 10 centimeters. It is a maternal mouthbrooder: the female broods the eggs and fry in her mouth. Males wear a blue face over gold flanks with a white-edged dorsal fin, which is the source of the white top trade name. Like all peacocks it forages over open sand for hidden prey.

Did you know

Peacock cichlids like this one hunt by hovering over the sand and sensing the movement of buried invertebrates through a row of enlarged pores along the lower jaw, then striking down to snap them up.

Tank mates

Night aulonocara is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.