PEACOCK CICHLIDS - Introduction To The Amazing Peacock Cichlid!

"Aulonocara hansbaenschi RB2". Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons.

Peacock cichlids are among the most preferred cichlids to breed in recent years because of their decorative appeal. Similar to the charm of peacock birds, the natural appearance and attractive colors of these types of cichlids, scientifically called aulonocara, have been admired by most hobbyists. Between the males and females, the former are more colorful, which will eventually be brighter once they reach sexual maturity. The females are generally subdued, colors ranging from silver to brownish gray.

So why choose Peacock Cichlids as your cichlid of choice? The Malawi Peacocks, since these cichlids originate from Lake Malawi, grow from 5-6 inches upon maturity. They thrive on a variety of food, ranging from small crustaceans such as shrimps and snails to insects such as mosquitoes and insect larvae. They also eat lettuce and peas.

They can be fed with either fresh or frozen foods and accept commercially available flakes or pellets. It is advised to serve them food only once to twice a day. Furthermore, be cautious of placing small fishes in the same aquarium with them because they can easily fit in their mouths and most likely to be eaten.

Aside from the accessibility of their food, they generally have a mild temperament and in most cases undemanding. They can adapt well to community-type aquariums. Even though they are likely to be territorial, they are non-aggressive and peaceful. It is advised that they are kept with other medium-sized non-aggressive cichlids.

With regard to their habitat requirement, the Peacock Cichlids are advised to be kept in aquariums that are arranged similar to their natural habitat. Be sure to provide open spaces for them to swim around as well as lots of caves and crevices where they can hide, rest, and create territories. Use sand as a substrate since they are likely to dig through the substrate after every feeding. Male cichlids also burrow through the sand prior to spawning. Using gravel or rocks, especially the sharp-edged ones, are likely to harm your Malawi Peacocks in doing this.

In terms of breeding, as long as you've provided hiding places for them, your aquarium is clean and the water requirements are acceptable, the Peacock Cichlids will do the rest themselves. They are considered ovophile mouthbrooders. The females do not eat during the incubation period, thus becoming weak and easily stressed. Such is the case that you should be ready to isolate the pregnant female two weeks after knowing she is pregnant. This will give time for the hatching of the eggs which will take four to seven days.

The female will release a number of eggs on the rocky bottom of the aquarium. Remove the mother from the tank within four days of the eggs hatching since she might eat the babies thinking it was her food. Be sure to put to feed the mother before bringing her back with other fish since she might starve to death once the breeding process continues over again. Keep the babies in a small separate tank feeding them with fine-ground flakes until they are big enough to be moved to a bigger tank.

The Peacock Cichlids are generally lovely fish to raise and cultivate. Their beauty, ease of care, few dietary concerns, adaptability to their environment, and undemanding demeanor has made them an interesting variety of cichlid to own. It is highly recommended that you try to experience the joy of watching these beautiful fish in your aquarium and see the value that this article is talking about.

By Lacey Bryant - Article Source: EzineArticles

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PEACOCK CICHLID Fish

Female Aulonocara sp. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Peacock cichlid fish are some of the most beautiful fish in existence. They sport a great variety of colors and average between four and six inches in length. If they are properly taken care of, they can live for up to twelve years. These unique fish originally come from Lake Malawi which is located in East Africa.

There have been ten different types of peacock cichlid identified so far, but it is thought that there are more yet to be discovered. The known types are Blue Peacock, Sunshine Peacock, African Butterfly Peacock, Auloncara Fort Maguire Peacock, Auloncara Blue Gold Peacock, Flavescent Peacock, Rubin Red Peacock, Baensch's Peacock, Maulana Bicolor Peacock, and Nkhomo Benga Peacock.

Peacock cichlids are freshwater fish that prefer to live in caves or rocky ridges that are below the water. You can keep these interesting fish at home as pets also. The aquarium requirements for them are as follows: A tank size of at least forty-five gallons with a lot of rocks that are placed in such a way as to form cave-like areas or cave decorations that they can go into. You should also use something to keep the water alkaline. Sand substrate is a good choice. This will also help with the breeding process.

They prefer their water to be alkaline and hard like the waters of Lake Malawi. The PH level should be between seven and a half and nine. You can also put some plants in your tank, but be sure that they are very sturdy plants that can withstand the hard water. The water temperature should stay around seventy-eight degrees Fahrenheit.

Peacock cichlids are omnivorous and therefore should be fed a diet of both meat and vegetables. They will readily eat pellet food, but also like bloodworms, mosquito larvae, snails, and crustaceans. Whenever new fry is born, they can be given fine flake food or brine shrimp that are freshly hatched.

Peacock cichlids are less aggressive and milder mannered than the other cichlid groups. They can be put in tanks together as well as with some other types of peaceful fish. The ratio of female to a male should be about two or three females to one male. These fish have an interesting way of breeding. They are classified as ovophile mouth breeders. This means that the entire process of breeding, from fertilization to incubation to hatching of the eggs will happen inside the female's mouth.

The male peacock cichlid fish will first dig a hole in the sand substrate. The female lays the eggs inside this hole. She will then take the eggs into her mouth where she will keep them for the next three or four weeks. She will not eat during this time period.

By David Oc To learn more about cichlid fish, go to the Lifestyles100 website or pick up the Nook book, Cichlid Fish - The Wonderful World of Cichlid Care" at Barns and Noble. Article Source: EzineArticles

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RED PEACOCK CICHLIDS - An Overview in Breeding

The Red Peacock Cichlids like water that is somewhat alkaline (a pH of around 7.8-8.0). The temperature in the tank should be kept between 74 and 82F. Consistency is key for the Red Peacock Cichlid; they do not take kindly to constant fluctuations in temperature and pH levels.

While the female Red Peacock Cichlid prefers to live in groups, the male is a bit of a loner. For breeding purposes, there should be a ratio of one male per two females. The male will "peacock" himself to draw the attention of the female and once she consents he will take her back to his cave. There they will dance, the female dropping the eggs and the male fertilizing them. After fertilization, the female will carry the eggs in her mouth for 2 weeks until they are ready to hatch. Females may hatch anywhere from 12 to 50 young, depending on her size.

These cichlids are mouth brooders and while the female is carrying the eggs in her mouth, she will not eat and will grow weak as a result. During this time, it is vital that she has plenty of hiding spaces to escape a male chasing her. It is also a good idea to provide her a recovery tank after the young hatch and she will soon regain her strength. She may spawn as often as every 8 weeks.

Red Peacock Cichlids will interbreed with other species, so keep them separated if you don't want crossbreeds. As for tank mates, species of medium size with similar temperament should be chosen. Do not place a Red Peacock Cichlid in the same tank with aggressive breeds.

By Preston Mane - Article Source: EzineArticles

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All About PEACOCK CICHLIDS

The peacock cichlid is growing in popularity as a pet. They are traced to Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyika. The fish are regarded as being amongst the most beautiful cichlids. And best of all they are some of the most peaceful of all the cichlid species.

They are best for large aquariums and are great for display due to their colors and a massive size. They are named after the peacock's colorful displays. The peacock cichlid has an elongated and a much higher back than other cichlids where their pelvic and the pectoral fins are a bit longer.

"Aulonocara hansbaenschi RB2".  Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons.

The males grow to around 15 centimeters while females grow up to 4 centimeters. A dark indigo blue characterizes their colors from the lower jaw up to the rear part of the body. You will not need to breed the males and females of the peacock cichlid separately.

They breed very well and display a beautiful blend of colors. They are considered members of the free swimming Haplochromis group. In their natural habitat, they are known to form schools. While breeding them, it is advised that you have one or two males interact with a larger number of females. This will encourage breeding and you could have a whole school in no time.

The peacock cichlid is a mild aggression type of fish. Since the fish exhibit aggressive tendencies, you will need to build their aquarium with this in mind. They will increase in aggression when confined into these small tanks. Taking this in mind, you can be able to inhibit the aggression as well with extra water volume per fish.

You could also increase breeding. The tank should be around 100cm with capacity for up to 55 gallons of water. In the aquarium, you should set up rocks and provide crevices and cave like designs. Remember the fish's original habitat included crevices and caves.

The water needs to be alkaline in nature therefore; it is advised that you use coral sand substrate. Since the water may change rapidly, it is a good idea to have it changed as frequently as possible. A dirty fish tank is not only disturbing to the eye but also unsafe for fish. The aggression of the peacock cichlid is very minimal compared to most Lake Malawi counterparts.

However, they are good in defending their school and will form territories too. You should not place peacock cichlid with smaller fishes since they may look at them as food. They can be put into the same tank with like-sized fishes like cat fish. Mbunas should not be chosen as tank-mates for the peacock cichlid.

They tend to be far more aggressive. Peacock cichlids are omnivores. It is a simple task when it comes to feeding since they are not choosy. They can be fed from foods such as bloodworm, mosquito larvae and crustaceans. The water pH level should be a bit above 8 but not exceed 8.2. They need a relatively warm water temperature of between 26 and 29 degrees Celsius.

By Pauly Freeman Article Source: EzineArticles

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