Yellow Regal Peacock

Aulonocara baenschi is a peacock cichlid recognized by the bright yellow color that covers mature males almost from head to tail. The yellow body is set off by a blue face, lips and a blue edge on the dorsal fin. In the hobby it is sold as the "yellow regal peacock" or, after the area where it is found, as "Nkhomo-Benga".

Like other Aulonocara species, it detects the movement of small animals in the sand with the large sensory pits on its head. It is a calm species; it is bullied in the same aquarium as mbuna, while with calm haplochromines its colors come out fully.

It lives on the western shore of Lake Malawi in the reef areas around Benga, in transition zones where rocks meet sand. It hunts insect larvae and small crustaceans hiding near the surface of the sand. Males stay near the rocks, while females roam open areas in groups.

• Volume: At least 300 liters and 120–150 cm of length.
• Substrate: Fine sand; essential for its feeding behavior.
• Layout: Rock groups with caves at the edges and a wide sandy area in the middle.
• Water: Hard and alkaline (pH 7.8–8.5); aragonite substrate or Malawi salt. A 30–50% water change every week.

Carnivorous. Quality sinking cichlid granules should be the staple, varied with frozen mysis, brine shrimp and cyclops. Color-enhancing foods can intensify the yellow of the males. Bloodworms and foods containing mammalian meat can lead to Malawi bloat.

Males set up a small territory over the sand and put on color displays for other males. It is calm toward other species. Rivalry increases with other yellow Aulonocara males.

Good companions: Aulonocara species in different colors (blue forms), Copadichromis borleyi, Placidochromis electra, electric blue ahli, blue dolphin cichlid, synodontis catfish suited to hard water.

Avoid: aggressive mbuna, large predatory haplochromines, other yellow Aulonocara males, community fish, shrimp and snails.

• Harem: 1 male and 3–4 females.
• All-male aquarium: 6–10 Aulonocara males of different colors; since there are no females, the males show their colors all the time.
• Aulonocara species hybridize with each other easily; only one species should be kept in a harem aquarium.

A mouthbrooder. The male courts over sand or a flat rock; the female takes the eggs into her mouth and they are fertilized via the egg spots on the male's anal fin. The female carries 15–35 eggs for about 3–4 weeks. The fry grow on crushed food and brine shrimp.

• Malawi bloat: Wrong food and stress.
• Color loss and hiding: A sign of incompatible, aggressive tankmates.
• Hole in the head: Associated with insufficient water changes.

Telling them apart is easy in mature fish: males have a bright yellow body, a blue face and long fins. Females are brown-gray with dark vertical bands and plain. Juveniles look like females; males color up at 6–12 months.