Malawi Butterfly Peacock
Aulonocara jacobfreibergi
Cichlidae
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About
Most peacocks hover over open sand. This one moves into the rock. The Malawi butterfly lives in the lake's intermediate zone, where rocky shore breaks up into sand with boulders scattered across it, and towards the northern end of its range it shows a clear preference for caves and crevices - the opposite of what the rest of the genus does. Males hold those caves, and a cave big enough can hold several males with territories inside it. It is also one of the largest peacocks in the trade: males reach 15-17 cm against roughly 13 cm for the peacocks it shares a shelf with, and it is separated from its congeners by the broad pale margins on the dorsal, anal and caudal fins, a more deeply forked tail and simply being bigger. Size is the number buyers get wrong, because the fish arrives in the shop at 5 cm looking like every other peacock on the rack. It was one of the first Aulonocara to enter the hobby and has been worked on ever since - 'eureka', 'albino' and 'colour select' are all line-bred ornamental forms, and the yellow 'lemon jake' started as a wild Undu reef population before the name spread to ornamental strains as well. Which brings up the rule that matters most in this genus: Aulonocara hybridise readily, so one peacock species per tank, no exceptions. Hybrid fry are indistinguishable from the real thing the moment they leave your house, and the trade already sells whole man-made lines - Fire Fish, Dragon Blood - grown out of that same willingness to cross.
Care
The published minimum base is 120 x 60 cm, which is a little over 400 litres filled; we gate at 350 litres, because this is a 17 cm territorial fish kept as a harem rather than one specimen in a breeding box. Sand deep enough to sift through, and rockwork built into real caves - this is the peacock that wants them, and a male with a cave to hold is a calmer male. Hard, alkaline Malawi water: pH 7.8-8.4, 10-25 dGH, 24-26 C, with stability worth more than any exact figure. Peacocks take swings in chemistry badly and should never go into an immature filter. Keep one male to four or more females so his attention is split; two males in anything short of a very large tank ends one way. Good neighbours are differently patterned Copadichromis or Placidochromis, Otopharynx lithobates and quieter mbuna such as Labidochromis caeruleus. Never a second Aulonocara species. Plants are safe if you want them - hard-water-tolerant Vallisneria, Anubias or Sagittaria - and keep a lid on the tank.
Diet
Sifts small invertebrates out of sand, locating them by movement with the sensory pores on its head. Cichlid pellets as the staple plus frozen brine shrimp, mysis and cyclops, in several small meals a day. Sand is a feeding requirement here, not decoration. Keep protein moderate to avoid Malawi bloat.
Tankmate compatibility
Gets along with (41)
Possible with care (336)
Avoid (41)
Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.
Telling males from females
What works for this species, most reliable first.
- VentingStrong · only on a mature fish, easiest when she is in breeding condition
The method breeders use when the answer has to be right. Hold the fish upside down in a wet hand or soft net and look at the two openings ahead of the anal fin. The forward one is the anus; the one behind it is what you are reading.
- Egg spotsA hint only · from about 6 months
The yellow or orange ocelli on the anal fin of Malawi cichlids, traditionally explained as a lure that draws the female into mouthing them, fertilising the eggs she is already holding.
Also in these lists
Similar species
Same category and the closest water parameters — if this species isn't quite it, start here.
Health
Disease guide entries relevant to this species — worth a read before you reach for medicine.
The full disease guide →Sold in Lithuania
These Lithuanian shops listed this species in their public catalogue (checked August 8, 2026). Stock moves — ask before you travel.
These links are unpaid: we get nothing for them and ask for nothing.
Frequently asked questions
- What tank size does a Malawi Butterfly Peacock need?
- A Malawi Butterfly Peacock needs an aquarium of at least 350 litres (92.5 US gallons) with a footprint at least 120 cm (47.2 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
- What water parameters does a Malawi Butterfly Peacock need?
- Malawi Butterfly Peacock does best at 24–28 °C (75.2–82.4 °F), pH 7.5–8.6 and a general hardness of 10–25 °dGH.
- What group size does a Malawi Butterfly Peacock need?
- Malawi Butterfly Peacock is a social species — keep a group of at least 5 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
- Is the Malawi Butterfly Peacock suitable for beginners?
- Malawi Butterfly Peacock sits in the middle of the difficulty scale — manageable for a careful beginner who has done the reading, but it has specific needs worth researching first.