Strawberry Peacock Care Guide - Aquarium Setup, Diet & Breeding

The Strawberry Peacock is a brilliantly coloured peacock cichlid prized for its vivid red, pink, orange and purple tones. Mature males are especially striking, while the intensity and pattern of colour can differ considerably between individual fish and strains sold under this name.

Aulonocara are generally more peaceful than many other Malawi cichlids, although adult males become territorial around preferred spawning sites. They spend much of their time cruising over the substrate and investigating sand for small invertebrates.

In the wild, peacock cichlids inhabit the rocky and sandy habitats of Lake Malawi. Their specialised sensory pores help them detect tiny prey hidden in the lake bed, an adaptation that gives the group its characteristic foraging behaviour.

“Strawberry Peacock” is a trade name rather than a formally recognised species. Most examples are selectively bred colour forms or hybrids within the Aulonocara group, so responsible sourcing is important and these fish should not be released or mixed casually with pure, location-specific strains.

The Strawberry Peacock is a selectively bred aquarium strain based on Aulonocara peacock cichlids from Lake Malawi in East Africa. Unlike naturally occurring Aulonocara populations, the exact lineage and colour development of this commercial variety can vary between breeders.

A group should have at least a 200-litre aquarium, with a larger tank preferable for a mixed Malawi community. Aim for a footprint of roughly 120 cm by 45 cm or greater, as floor space is more important than height. Use fine sand or another smooth substrate, arrange sturdy rocks into caves and visual barriers, and leave open areas for foraging and display. Efficient filtration, strong oxygenation and stable alkaline water are essential, while decor must be securely positioned to prevent undermining.

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

Offer a varied omnivorous diet based on quality cichlid pellets or flakes, supplemented with frozen or live brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, daphnia and other small aquatic invertebrates. Feed modest portions once or twice daily and choose foods that sink or remain accessible near the substrate. A spirulina-rich component can add variety, but avoid a diet dominated by fatty mammal or poultry products, which can cause digestive problems in Malawi cichlids.

Suitable companions include other relatively peaceful peacock cichlids and compatible Lake Malawi haps of similar size and temperament. Keep only one male of a given colour form where possible, and provide several females to spread attention. Avoid mixing them with highly aggressive mbuna, fin-nipping species, much smaller community fish or other Aulonocara strains if preserving a particular line matters, since different peacocks may hybridise.

Strawberry Peacocks are maternal mouthbrooders. Provide one mature male with several females, then watch for courtship on an open area of sand or rock. After spawning, the female carries the fertilised eggs and fry in her mouth for around three weeks. She can be left to release the young naturally or moved to a separate aquarium, although stripping eggs or fry is best left to experienced keepers. Feed the juveniles finely crushed flakes and baby brine shrimp once they are free-swimming.

Males are larger and develop the intense strawberry-red, pink or orange coloration for which this strain is named, often with brighter blue markings on the face and fins. Females are smaller and generally silver, grey-brown or muted orange, with less pronounced patterning.