Albino Pink OB Peacock Care Guide - Aquarium Setup, Diet & Breeding

The Albino Pink OB Peacock is a striking ornamental form of peacock cichlid, combining a pale albino base with pink, orange and irregular blotched markings associated with the OB, or orange blotch, pattern. Mature males generally display the strongest colour, while females and juveniles are more subdued and variable. Individual patterns can differ considerably, making each fish distinctive.

Like other Aulonocara, this cichlid has an elongated body, rounded fins and a gently sloping head. Its finely adapted sensory pores help it detect small invertebrates hidden beneath the lakebed, and its relatively peaceful manner sets it apart from many more boisterous Malawi cichlids.

In the aquarium, Albino Pink OB Peacocks are active, watchful fish that spend much of their time moving over open areas and inspecting the substrate. Males may claim small territories and display to females or rival males, but they are usually less relentlessly aggressive than many mbuna.

The colour form is produced through selective breeding in captivity, so it should not be regarded as a naturally occurring, pure wild population. As with other selectively bred Malawi cichlids, responsible pairing and careful record-keeping are useful for maintaining desirable traits and avoiding unwanted crosses.

Albino Pink OB Peacock is a selectively bred aquarium strain rather than a formally described wild species. It belongs to the Aulonocara peacock cichlid group, whose natural ancestors come from the rocky and sandy habitats of Lake Malawi in East Africa.

Allow at least 250 litres for a carefully planned group, with a larger aquarium of around 300 litres or more preferable for a male and several females or a mixed Malawi community. A tank around 120 cm long gives territorial fish room to spread out. Use fine sand or another smooth substrate, with rock piles and caves arranged to provide boundaries and retreats while leaving generous open swimming space. Strong filtration, good oxygenation and regular maintenance are important, and décor should be stable enough not to collapse when fish excavate around it.

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

Feed a varied omnivorous diet based on high-quality Malawi cichlid or herbivore-leaning pellets and granules, supplemented with small portions of frozen or live foods such as brine shrimp, mysis and daphnia. Their natural feeding style involves sifting sand for tiny invertebrates, so sinking foods are useful. Avoid beef heart and other fatty mammalian meats, which can cause digestive problems and do not suit their natural diet.

Suitable companions include other peaceful peacocks, compatible Lake Malawi haplochromines and similarly sized, moderately calm Malawi cichlids. Tankmates should share the same hard, alkaline water requirements and should not be small enough to be swallowed. Avoid highly aggressive mbuna, delicate community fish, fin-nippers and closely related peacocks if maintaining a particular colour strain matters, since different Aulonocara may hybridise.

Albino Pink OB Peacocks are maternal mouthbrooders. Provide a mature male with several females and offer flat stones or open sand for courtship. After spawning, the female collects the eggs in her mouth and fertilises them by picking up the male’s eggs spots. She carries the brood for around three weeks, usually eating little during this time. The female can be moved to a separate, quiet aquarium if raising the fry is important; newly released young accept finely crushed cichlid food and baby brine shrimp.

Males are typically larger and develop much brighter pink, orange and blue-toned colouration, often with more extended fins and clearer egg spots. Females remain smaller and paler, commonly showing a silvery, beige or lightly blotched appearance.