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Fast
facts on Aulonocara sp. "Chipoka"
Biotope:
Lake Malawi (Rift Valley - East Africa). Aulonocara aka (although I
prefer not to use common names) Peacock cichlid occurs all around
the Lake (see bottom photo) but a lot of intralacustrine endemism and/or local color
morphs are known.
Tank:
Not that big; by Rift Valley cichlid standards, of course! This
means a 100 lt (about 30 US gals) tank will do for a trio (1M/2F)
provided lots of hiding places are supplied and too bright lights
are avoided. My group (1M/4F wild specimens) thrive with two lamps
(30 watt each; but one is an actinidic one of the kind used for
marine invertebrates) in a 300 lt. (78 Us gals) tank. No damage to
plants (Anubias) of the tank are reported.
Water
chemistry:
Alkaline water, those fishes are from Rift Valley and a pH range
from 7.8 to 8.2 is what they need (personally I stay on the lower
side of the range also because of the water I get from the tap). See
also actual water chemistry values from Lake Malawi reported
elsewhere in this WebSite.
Spawning:
Those fishes arrived from the Lake in October 1999. Right now (March
2000, after having been quarantined) I have at least, 20 fry (from
three different spawns) growing. All (except of two survivors from
the first batch of fry, which are swimming in the main tank) are
kept in a separate raising tank. Spawning is not that difficult but
it is a bit "secretive". Despite all my efforts I haven't
seen it yet, despite the fact it has happened three times (till
now!).
Food:
I mostly feed them on flakes and pellets of different kinds. Mainly
because job duties do not allow me to offer them different foods.
Anyway, I feel that a bit of daphnia, brine shimps, black mosquito
larvae, spirulina flakes, added to commercial food, should do well.
Tank Mates:
I keep them with a Protomelas similis , a Copadichromis crysonotus,
two Synodontis nyassae and a a small unidentified suckermouth
catfish (possibly an Ancistrus sp.). All cichlids, (except the
Copadichromis crysonotus) are from the 1999 trip to Lake Malawi.
Fish of the genus Aulonocara are probably the Malawi cichlids which
are the easiest to crossbreed. Almost all females (of any given
species and / or morph) are almost identical so you should avoid
mixing them in the same tank to stay on the safe side.
Oddities:
These (and all other Aulonocara) are secretive, shy fishes. Other
fish, preferably non aggressive, fast, open water swimmers, sharing
the same tank help them to thrive. Refer to the tankmates section
above or alternatively you can try (no personal experience, sorry)
species of the Melanotaenia genus (Rainbow fish). |
