# Aulonocara nyassae (peacock cichlid)



## Scarlet_Rain (Jan 16, 2009)

I am going to buy one of these tommorow as i have found a stunningly beautiful specimen in my local aquatics store, does anyone on here keep them or breed them? I am buying a grown on male but will probably buy some youngsters and keep them seperate so that i can pick a female out later on as apparently they are very hard to find at the size he is.

what are your thoughts? Would love some feed back!


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## kapla (Sep 5, 2010)

There your typical malawin cichlids 
Your better to keep a 1:2 or 1:3 ratio if you plan on breeding them as if you have one female he will be a pest to her


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## kapla (Sep 5, 2010)

There your typical malawin cichlids 
Your better to keep a 1:2 or 1:3 ratio if you plan on breeding them as if you have one female he will be a pest to her


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## Blurboy (Feb 9, 2007)

You've not said what tankmates they will have. If it's Mbuna they can get bullied and I wouldn't advise keeping them in anything smaller than a 4ft tank. I would definitely have a ratio of 1 male and 2 or 3 females too. These will thrive better in a Hap tank than Mbuna and they are stunning fish. I've kept quite a few in the past and the males really do colour up well.


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## Scarlet_Rain (Jan 16, 2009)

Its ok I know about the ratios i have researched the fish well  if i find a couple of larger females i will put them straight in with him but otherwise i will grow some youngsters on and add them when big enough.

I would just buy a few youngsters and let them pair naturally but he is far to beautiful to leave on the shelf so to speak 

I only really wanted your experiences and maybe some photos  ty xx


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## Victor Creed (Aug 25, 2010)

Scarlet_Rain said:


> Its ok I know about the ratios i have researched the fish well  if i find a couple of larger females i will put them straight in with him but otherwise i will grow some youngsters on and add them when big enough.
> 
> I would just buy a few youngsters and let them pair naturally but he is far to beautiful to leave on the shelf so to speak
> 
> I only really wanted your experiences and maybe some photos  ty xx


I was always told the M/F ratio for Malawis was 1:4 and even when I had exactly that, my male Kenyi killed all 4 females as well as other species he was compatible with. They are mouth-brooders and the females retain the eggs until they hatch and then some. If you see a female holding, remove her and give her her own tank before she spits. I never bred Aulonucara, only Melanochromis, but I think their habits are rather similar, if not identical.


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## Blurboy (Feb 9, 2007)

The problem removing any female holding eggs is when she's re-introduced she gets bullied and ends up dead. This is very very common occurence so I wouldn't recommend that at all. The problem usually lies in the fact that the tank is too small for the fish being kept in, 4ft is the very minimum Malawi's should be kept in with 5 or 6ft tanks better. What happens is the fish get chased over a distance of a few feet and once it's swam out of range, the bully gives up as it then thinks it's out of it's territory. That's why the longer the tank the better. Plenty of hiding places is also very important too so lots and lots of little hidey holes in your rock/tufa rock.


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## Mynki (Mar 24, 2010)

Scarlet_Rain said:


> I am going to buy one of these tommorow as i have found a stunningly beautiful specimen in my local aquatics store, does anyone on here keep them or breed them? I am buying a grown on male but will probably buy some youngsters and keep them seperate so that i can pick a female out later on as apparently they are very hard to find at the size he is.
> 
> what are your thoughts? Would love some feed back!


I really don't want to be rude to the people that have replied so far to this thread, but in answer to your question, ignore the other posts in this thread (Other than that from Blurboy).

Why? 

Aulonocara are not mbuna (rock dwelling cichlids) and thus should not be kept in the same way.

There is no such thing as *typical malawi cichlids*. While many species of mbuna can be cared for in a similar manner, others such as Aulonocara need different care. You don't deliberately overstock for example as you would with mbuna. 

I've kept and bred them. And if thats your aim, can I ask that you post details about the tank set up you are planning on keeping them in. And what, if any, tank mates you are wanting in there with them? It might very well be that you'd be better off with a species tank if breeding is your long term goal as other species can cause issues. Look forward to your reply...


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## Blurboy (Feb 9, 2007)

Cheers Mynki :2thumb: and I agree with what you said too. Trouble is most shops seem to push that Haps and Mbuna can be mixed without asking buyers about tank size and tankmates with the resulting mild manner Haps then getting bullied by the more robust Mbuna. I know there's always an exception to the rule and some people manage to mix them but I believe it's best set up for one or the other - Mubuna or Haps and then enjoy them. If it's specifically breeding them then that's another game all toegther. 
I worked in the trade for some time and I always asked buyers for info on what they kept before selling them anything and if I didn't think it was suitable I wouldn't let them buy it and I'd point out why and be helpful with it. I once told one punter who wanted a Soft Coral that his tank was totally unsuitable, insufficent light, tankmates etc as I believed it would die quickly and then he would be slagging us off for selling duff livestock. He was adamant he wanted it and got quite irate but I stuck to my guns and he didn't get it - at least from us. I spoke to the guy who ran the shop and told him what I had done and he totally agreed with my actions. If only other shops would be so helpful, not just think of the money rolling in and offer sound advice from the off :whistling2:


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## Scarlet_Rain (Jan 16, 2009)

I want to do a species tank not community. My tank dimensions are 30x18x20 and the filtration will be a large internal filter (fluval 4+) my initial plan was not to breed as Im quite happy with the one fish but in the future I think I would love to try it and so was wondering what everyone else was doing and figured i had better get some opinions before these thoughts turn into plans.

So would this set up be too small? i plan on places refuge spots for the females, i know they arnt rock dwelling species but they will appreciate some refuges?. If its too small I will hold off that plan untill i have a larger tank, however i have been told that these dimensions are ok for breeding but its always nice to hear why they arnt.

thank you 

We do have a 4 foot tank (250ltrs) but we are putting some discus in once the tank has settled down (fully established tank for 2 years now but change of stock)


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## Mynki (Mar 24, 2010)

It's too small yes. I think from your comments, that you knew that already though?

There are a number of other rift cichlids you could keep and breed in that sized tank if you wanted too though.


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## Scarlet_Rain (Jan 16, 2009)

Mynki said:


> It's too small yes. I think from your comments, that you knew that already though?
> 
> There are a number of other rift cichlids you could keep and breed in that sized tank if you wanted too though.


Well i personally didnt know that, my boyfriend knows alot about fish although not alot on anyone thing, he worked in the aquatic trade for years and said that the tank should be ok for breeding in but also said he has never bred them which is why i came on here really. If the tank dimensions are too small then i wont bother with breeding.

I would rather not breed than chose another species because i really have fallen in love with this particular specimen!

do you think a plec would be ok in the tank? and what type? if so i think il just stick with those two, my area is snakes not fish so i want to make sure im doing everything right before i set up my tank let alone buy my fish which is on reserve at the moment.

we are having twin set ups, he is having a frontosa but does not plan on breeding.


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## Mynki (Mar 24, 2010)

Scarlet_Rain said:


> Well i personally didnt know that, my boyfriend knows alot about fish although not alot on anyone thing, he worked in the aquatic trade for years and said that the tank should be ok for breeding in but also said he has never bred them which is why i came on here really. If the tank dimensions are too small then i wont bother with breeding.
> 
> I would rather not breed than chose another species because i really have fallen in love with this particular specimen!
> 
> ...


Unless you're buying proven breeding fish, you'll need to buy a group of cichlids and grow them on until they're ready to breed. Fairly typical with cichlids really. And a 30" tank isn't big enough to do this. If that makes sense? If you tried it, a dominant male will step forward and batter every other male. In a small tank like that the persistant bullying will end up with dead fish.

Plec is a really bad term to use. I know everybody does use it but it refers to a group of fish that vary in size between 4" (Should be OK in your tank) to fish that grow over one meter in lengh like adonis plecs. With many growing way too big for your tank.

I think the best thing for you to do would be to take a look at the planet catfish website and spend some time studying the L number gallery. You'll find some smaller species that should be OK. As a rough guide, look at the bristlenose plecs. 

Frontosa are awesome looking fish. Just remember though, whatever your boy friend does or does not plan on doing, the fish may have other ideas.


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## Scarlet_Rain (Jan 16, 2009)

Mynki said:


> Unless you're buying proven breeding fish, you'll need to buy a group of cichlids and grow them on until they're ready to breed. Fairly typical with cichlids really. And a 30" tank isn't big enough to do this. If that makes sense? If you tried it, a dominant male will step forward and batter every other male. In a small tank like that the persistant bullying will end up with dead fish.
> 
> Plec is a really bad term to use. I know everybody does use it but it refers to a group of fish that vary in size between 4" (Should be OK in your tank) to fish that grow over one meter in lengh like adonis plecs. With many growing way too big for your tank.
> 
> ...



lol thankyou! you have been more than helpfull!! I did mean "plec" as in which one as i know there are many different sizes and shapes 
Awesome, i will halt my ideas of breeding then and just keep him in this tank for now. I will go check that site out, thanks again! This section is so much more helpfull than the snake section!!


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## Blurboy (Feb 9, 2007)

In my opinion the best catfish keep with Malawi's or Tangy's is the Synodontis Multipunctatus - a very beautiful polka-dot coloured fish that will thrive in the water conditions give to Rift Lake cichlids. I'm getting withdrawl symptoms now with all this talk about them haha


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## Scarlet_Rain (Jan 16, 2009)

Blurboy said:


> In my opinion the best catfish keep with Malawi's or Tangy's is the Synodontis Multipunctatus - a very beautiful polka-dot coloured fish that will thrive in the water conditions give to Rift Lake cichlids. I'm getting withdrawl symptoms now with all this talk about them haha


I will check them out  yes i think they are addictive we have a 4x18x24 which we are putting discus in and 2 more smaller tanks which will hold one peacock male and the other a frontosa male. 

EXCITING STUFF!! nothing like 3 fish tanks to make a living room 

we are also putting a tropical pond in our outside reptile house so you guys can look forward to photos in the future


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## Mynki (Mar 24, 2010)

I'll look forward to the pictures of your trop pond.

Check out Synodontis petricola also. Very similar to multipunctatus, but smaller and maybe just a tad cheaper. But with the same care requirements.


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