Dragonblood OB Peacock Care Guide - Aquarium Setup, Diet & Breeding

The Dragonblood OB Peacock is a striking ornamental peacock cichlid selected for its vivid red, orange and blue colouration overlaid with irregular blotches and patches. The exact pattern varies considerably between individuals, and no two fish are necessarily marked alike. Mature males are often especially intense, while females and younger fish may show softer orange, tan or mottled colouring.

Like other Aulonocara, this fish is generally more measured and open-water oriented than the highly aggressive mbuna of Lake Malawi. It spends much of its time hovering above the substrate, inspecting the bottom for small invertebrates and food items. Males become territorial when mature, particularly around spawning sites.

The wild Aulonocara group is associated with sandy areas, rubble and rocky margins in Lake Malawi. These habitats provide feeding grounds as well as caves and crevices where fish can retreat. Dragonblood OB Peacocks retain this preference for open swimming space combined with rockwork and sandy areas.

Because Dragonblood OB is a cultivated line, its appearance, temperament and adult size can be less predictable than those of a recognised wild species. It is best regarded as a selectively bred Aulonocara-type cichlid, and offspring may not reproduce the parent fish's exact colour pattern.

Dragonblood OB Peacock is a selectively bred aquarium strain rather than a formally described wild species. It is derived from Aulonocara, the peacock cichlid group native to Lake Malawi in East Africa, with the OB pattern developed through captive breeding and hybridisation within aquarium lines.

A group or mixed Malawi cichlid aquarium should provide at least 200 litres, with a larger 300-litre or more aquarium preferable for a male and several females or a community of peacocks. Aim for a tank around 120 cm long or more so territories can be spread out; length and floor area are more useful than extra height. Use a fine sand substrate, sturdy rock piles and caves, leaving open swimming and foraging areas in front. Strong biological filtration, good oxygenation and regular maintenance are important, while decor should be stable enough that digging cannot undermine it.

Males may reach about 15 cm (6 in) in total length, while females are usually smaller at approximately 10–12 cm (4–4.7 in). Captive-bred individuals can vary in size depending on their lineage, diet and growing conditions.

Offer a varied, mainly herbivore-safe cichlid diet based on quality spirulina or algae-containing pellets and granules, supplemented with small amounts of frozen or live foods such as mysis shrimp, brine shrimp and finely chopped seafood. Feed modest portions once or twice daily rather than allowing food to accumulate. Avoid making mammalian meat or excessively fatty foods a regular part of the diet, as these can contribute to digestive problems.

Suitable companions include other appropriately sized, comparatively peaceful Lake Malawi haps and peacocks, provided the aquarium is spacious and territories are well distributed. Avoid mixing them with small, timid community fish, fin-nippers or very aggressive mbuna. Keeping multiple closely related Aulonocara strains can result in hybrid offspring, so separate species or colour lines if maintaining a purposeful breeding program. Males should not be crowded together, and a single male with several females is usually less confrontational than multiple males in a modest aquarium.

Dragonblood OB Peacocks are maternal mouthbrooders. For the best chance of spawning, keep one male with several females and provide rockwork that creates territories. The male courts a female over a cleared area, after which she collects the fertilised eggs in her mouth and incubates them for around three weeks. A brooding female can be moved to a separate aquarium if fry survival is important; newly free-swimming young accept baby brine shrimp and finely crushed fry food.

Males are generally larger and much more vividly coloured, often developing red, orange and blue markings with a pronounced OB pattern and stronger fin colour. Females are usually smaller and less intensely coloured, with more subdued orange, grey or mottled tones; young fish can be difficult to sex reliably.