OB peacock (Aulonocara "OB"): what it is, colors and care

The OB peacock is one of the most eye-catching cichlids around: a marbled body of blue, pink and orange, with black blotches scattered at random. No two look alike. It is calm and kept like any peacock, but its origin differs from the wild species, and it is worth understanding before you buy.

Quick facts

Name	OB peacock, Aulonocara "OB"
Origin	Aquarium-bred line, not wild
Adult size	12 to 15 cm; some males grow larger
Temperament	Calm, like other peacocks
Minimum tank	250 to 300 liters, 120 cm long
Water	pH 7.8 to 8.6, hard; 24 to 27 °C
Diet	Quality pellets, with krill or mysis

What "OB" means

OB stands for orange blotch. It is a pattern that occurs naturally in some Lake Malawi mbuna. Breeders carried it into peacocks (Aulonocara) in the aquarium, and that is where today's OB lines come from. So it is not a wild species: it is an aquarium variety, like the Dragon Blood or the Rubin Red. We always say so in our profiles.

Male and female

The male combines the marbling with blue tones, strongest on the head, and usually has yellow egg spots on the anal fin. The Sky Blue OB variant has sky-blue and pink tones. Unlike the gray females of regular peacocks, the OB female is colorful too: orange and cream with black blotches, though without the male's blue. More in how to tell a male from a female African cichlid.

Care

• Tank: 250 to 300 liters, with fine sand, a few large rocks and open swimming space. See tank size and stocking.
• Hard, alkaline water, a good filter and weekly water changes. See Costa Rica tap water.
• Food: quality, slowly sinking cichlid pellets, with krill or mysis a couple of times a week. See feeding mbuna and peacocks.
• Tank mates: other peacocks in different colors and calm haps. Avoid aggressive mbuna. See compatible African cichlids.

Before breeding them

An OB male and female breed like any peacock: the female holds the eggs in her mouth for about three weeks. The fry come out with very varied patterns, and some without the OB. If you also keep pure peacock species, such as the Sulfurhead, do not breed them together: they crossbreed easily. More in how to breed African cichlids.

OB peacocks in Costa Rica

We have an 18 cm Sky Blue OB male, the only one, and an OB female, if you want to form a pair. Each profile has real photos and the price.