Sulfurhead peacock (Aulonocara maylandi): care, colors and tank mates

The Sulfurhead (Aulonocara maylandi) is one of the classic peacocks of Lake Malawi. The male is deep blue with dark bars and has an orange-yellow stripe running from the snout along the whole head and back: hence the name. It is calm, hardy and very striking. This guide covers what it needs.

Quick facts

Scientific name	Aulonocara maylandi
Group	Peacock (Aulonocara), Lake Malawi
Adult size	Usually 11 to 13 cm; some males grow larger
Temperament	Calm; the male defends a small territory
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
Breeding	Maternal mouthbrooder

Colors: male and female

The adult male has a metallic blue body with dark vertical bars, yellow-spotted fins and the orange-yellow crown that sets it apart. The color deepens with age, a good diet and when no dominant male is bullying it. The female is grayish brown with faint bars and no crown. Juveniles look like females until 6 to 8 cm. More in how to tell a male from a female African cichlid.

Tank

• Room to swim: 250 to 300 liters and 120 cm long for a male with several females or a peacock community.
• Fine sand: the Sulfurhead finds food in the substrate with the sensory pores on its head. Coarse gravel gets in the way.
• Large rocks with a few caves, leaving open areas.
• Hard, alkaline water and a good filter. We explain how to get there with Costa Rica tap water.

Diet

In the lake it eats small invertebrates it finds in the sand. In the aquarium, the staple should be a quality cichlid pellet that sinks slowly, with krill or mysis a couple of times a week to bring out the color. Avoid beef heart and very fatty foods. We compare diets in feeding mbuna and peacocks.

Tank mates

• Good: other peacocks in different colors, such as the Saffron or the Benga peacock, and calm haps such as the Blue Dolphin.
• With care: calm mbuna such as the Electric Yellow, only in large tanks.
• Avoid: aggressive mbuna, and large predators like the Venustus if the Sulfurhead is small.
• One male per color: two similar blue males will fight. Keep one male of each color.

More combinations in compatible African cichlids and mbuna vs. peacock cichlids.

Breeding and avoiding hybrids

The female holds the eggs in her mouth for about three weeks. Note: females of the different Aulonocara look very much alike and crossbreed easily. If you want to breed pure Sulfurheads, keep the male only with females of his own species. In a display tank with males of several peacocks and no females, this is not a problem. More in how to breed African cichlids.

Sulfurhead in Costa Rica

We have adult Sulfurhead males for sale, 16 and 17 cm, larger than usual for the species and with a well-marked crown. The profile has real photos and the price, and you can order online or make us an offer.