African Butterfly Peacock Care Guide - Aquarium Setup, Diet & Breeding

The African Butterfly Peacock is a striking Lake Malawi cichlid prized for its vivid colour and relatively peaceful temperament. Mature males may display electric blue across the face and body, with yellow, orange or red markings that vary between geographical forms. Females are more subdued, generally silver, brownish or grey with darker vertical bars.

Unlike the highly combative mbuna, this species is a peacock cichlid in the Aulonocara group. It uses sensory pores in the underside of its head to detect small invertebrates hidden in the lake bed, often hovering just above the sand before dropping down to investigate.

In the wild, African Butterfly Peacocks inhabit areas where rocky cover meets open sandy or rubble-strewn ground. They spend much of their time searching the bottom for tiny prey, while males defend temporary territories and display to passing females.

Their bold colours, interesting foraging behaviour and comparatively moderate aggression have made them popular in Malawi cichlid aquariums. Colour and pattern can differ noticeably between collection locations, and closely related Aulonocara forms should not be mixed carelessly because hybridisation is possible.

The African Butterfly Peacock is endemic to Lake Malawi in East Africa. Aulonocara jacobfreibergi occurs around rocky habitats and transitional areas along parts of the lake, including the southern region and nearby islands.

A single fish requires at least 250 litres, while a male with several females or a mixed Malawi community is better suited to 300 litres or more. Aim for a tank around 120 cm long and 45 cm front to back, with additional length preferred for groups. Use fine sand or another smooth substrate for natural sifting behaviour, arrange sturdy rocks into caves and visual barriers, and leave open areas for swimming and foraging. Secure all rockwork directly on the tank base before adding the substrate, and provide strong filtration with good oxygenation.

Males can reach about 15 cm (6 inches) in length, while females are usually smaller at approximately 10–12 cm (4–4.7 inches).

Feed a varied omnivorous diet based on high-quality cichlid pellets or granules, supplemented with spirulina-based foods, quality flakes and occasional frozen or live offerings such as brine shrimp, mysis and daphnia. Their natural diet contains small benthic invertebrates, so sinking foods are especially useful. Avoid relying on rich mammal-based foods, which can cause digestive problems in African Rift Lake cichlids.

Suitable companions include other peaceful Lake Malawi peacocks and appropriately sized, similarly tempered haps, provided the aquarium is spacious and carefully planned. Avoid mbuna that are highly aggressive or prone to fin-nipping, as well as very timid fish and small community species. Do not house different Aulonocara varieties or closely related females together if maintaining pure colour strains is important, because they may hybridise.

African Butterfly Peacocks are maternal mouthbrooders. Keep one male with several females, provide flat rocks or a sandy area for spawning, and remove tankmates or carefully transfer the holding female to a separate aquarium if raising fry. The female carries the fertilised eggs in her mouth for around three weeks, usually releasing free-swimming young that can be fed finely crushed flake, powdered pellets and newly hatched brine shrimp.

Males are larger and develop intense blue, yellow, orange or red colouration, often with more pointed dorsal and anal fins. Females remain smaller and comparatively drab, with silver, beige or brown colouring and more noticeable vertical barring.