Description

Looking for a colorful choice for your tank? Consider an O.B. peacock cichlid. This fish results from a hybridization involving male Aulonocara cichlids and female mbuna cichlids. Both these cichlid species originated in Lake Malawi in Africa and, as such, generally prefer a freshwater tank.

Peacock cichlids come in several colors, often featuring blue, red, yellow, orange, black, and white scales. This species is dimorphic, with males developing a mixed and spotted coloration, while females keep a black and silver coloring (while developing a spotted morph).

Expect to maintain a minimum 55-gallon tank for peacock cichlids, with some adults requiring 100 gallons or more to flourish. We don’t consider peacock cichlids either plant or reef compatible. They thrive with a low level of care and may produce eggs if you keep a male and female together.

Tankmates

Peacock cichlids may develop aggressive traits, particularly male cichlids. However, they do well in tanks with large amounts of other cichlids, particularly:

• Electric yellow cichlids
• Socolofi cichlids
• Blue peacock cichlids
• Sapphire cichlids

They may also do well with Victorian haps and Malawi haps. A higher number of cichlids can prevent an aggressive male from targeting single individuals. We recommend changing your tank water frequently if you keep a higher number of cichlids.