Dragonblood Peacock Care Guide – Aquarium Setup, Diet & Breeding

Dragonblood Peacocks are brightly coloured haplochromine cichlids developed for the aquarium trade from Aulonocara bloodlines. Males typically display intense red, orange, blue or metallic colouration, often with a vivid contrast between the body and fins. Females and immature fish are usually much less colourful, showing silver, grey or brown tones.

Like other peacock cichlids, they have a relatively streamlined body, pointed fins and a finely patterned face. Special sensory pores along the lower jaw help Aulonocara locate small invertebrates hidden in the lakebed, an adaptation that contributes to their characteristic method of slowly hovering over sand before making a quick feeding dive.

In aquaria, Dragonblood Peacocks are generally calmer than many aggressive Malawi mbuna, although mature males can become territorial, particularly around spawning sites. Their behaviour is most interesting when they are kept in a social group with plenty of space and when males are able to display without constantly harassing females.

Wild Aulonocara inhabit the clear, alkaline waters of Lake Malawi, where sandy areas meet scattered rocks and deeper reef edges. The Dragonblood form is not a natural population, but it retains the lake cichlids' preference for open areas, visual displays and mouthbrooding reproduction.

The Dragonblood Peacock is a selectively bred aquarium form derived from Aulonocara peacock cichlids native to Lake Malawi in East Africa. Its exact wild ancestry varies between strains, as the Dragonblood name is used for ornamental lines and hybrids rather than one formally recognised wild species.

A group should have at least 250 litres, with a larger aquarium of around 300 litres or more preferable for a male and several females or a mixed Malawi community. Aim for a tank at least 120 cm long, with additional length and floor area being more valuable than extra height. Use fine sand or another smooth substrate so the fish can sift naturally, and arrange rounded rocks into caves, boundaries and spawning surfaces while leaving generous open swimming areas. Secure all rockwork directly on the tank base before adding substrate, and provide efficient biological filtration with strong, well-distributed circulation.

Males reach about 15 cm (6 in) in adult length, while females are usually smaller at approximately 10–12 cm (4–4.7 in). Aquarium specimens may vary because Dragonblood Peacock strains have mixed and selectively bred ancestry.

Dragonblood Peacocks are omnivorous predators that naturally sift sand for small crustaceans and other invertebrates. Base their diet on a quality cichlid pellet or granule, supplemented with spirulina-based foods, mysis shrimp, brine shrimp and other appropriately sized frozen or prepared foods. Offer small portions once or twice daily rather than one large meal. Avoid making mammalian meat or fatty, hard-to-digest foods a regular part of the diet.

Suitable companions include other peaceful Malawi peacocks and similarly sized, relatively mild-mannered Lake Malawi haps, provided the aquarium is large enough and the fish have comparable water requirements. Some less-aggressive mbuna can work in a spacious community, but highly territorial species such as auratus, kenyi and many zebra-type mbuna are poor choices. Avoid mixing them with other Aulonocara colour forms or closely related peacocks if maintaining a distinct strain matters, since crossbreeding is likely. Small community fish, fin-nippers and very aggressive cichlids are also unsuitable.

Dragonblood Peacocks are maternal mouthbrooders. Provide a mature male with several females and offer flat rocks or other open spawning surfaces. After courtship and egg laying, the female carries the fertilised eggs and fry in her mouth for around three weeks, usually eating little during this time. She can be moved to a separate aquarium shortly before release, although a dedicated breeding setup gives the fry the best chance of survival. Feed the young newly hatched brine shrimp, powdered fry food and other suitably fine foods.

Males are substantially more colourful, developing vivid red, orange, blue or metallic patterning and longer, more pointed fins as they mature. Females remain comparatively drab, usually silver-grey or brown, and are smaller with shorter fins; both sexes may show egg spots on the anal fin.