fish · Cichlidae
Sulfur-head peacock
Aulonocara maylandi
Wild range: Endemic to Lake Malawi; restricted to West Reef (Luwala Reef) and Eccles Reef (Chimwalani Reef) near Makanjila Point in the southeastern lake (Seriously Fish; FishBase; Wikipedia; AquaInfo). (Africa)
At a glance: Sulfur-head peacock care
Compiled reference information. Review the care notes and original sources below.
What temperature is listed for Sulfur-head peacock?
The compiled profile lists 23.0–26.0 °C for Sulfur-head peacock (Aulonocara maylandi). Check the original sources below for context and differing recommendations.
What tank size is listed for Sulfur-head peacock?
The profile lists a minimum tank volume of 46.0 US gallons (175.0 liters). Volume alone does not establish suitability; consider dimensions, group size and other inhabitants alongside the full care notes.
What pH is listed for Sulfur-head peacock?
The compiled profile lists a pH of 7.5–8.5. Review the cited care sources alongside the other water parameters in this profile.
Natural habitat
A Lake Malawi peacock cichlid named for the bright yellow sulphur blaze that runs from the snout along the back and dorsal-fin edge of breeding males. Adults reach about 10–12 cm. It is one of the calmer Aulonocara, but it needs hard, alkaline water, fine sand for sand-sifting, and a large, mature tank. Wild populations are Critically Endangered after heavy aquarium-trade collection from only two reefs.
Where they are found
Aulonocara maylandi Trewavas, 1984 is valid in ITIS (TSN 648329), GBIF (4285669), FishBase and Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes. Type locality: Eccles Reef (Chimwalani Reef) near Makanjila Point, Lake Malawi. The specific name honours Hans-Joachim Mayland. The yellow-blaze 'sulphurhead' / 'sulfurhead' form is known only from West Reef (Luwala) and Eccles Reef in southeastern Lake Malawi (Malawi). A Kande Island population with a whitish blaze was described as A. maylandi kandeensis Tawil & Allgayer, 1987; ITIS still lists that subspecies, but Catalog of Fishes and Konings (2016) treat it as a separate valid species, Aulonocara kandeense — it is noted here and not aliased to this row. Trade name lock (Scott 2026-11-04): this slug is A. maylandi only. Otopharynx lithobates (Sulphur-headed hap / Z-Rock) is a separate hap for a later inventory row; Protomelas spilonotus 'Tanzania' is also sometimes sold as a sulphurhead hap and stays out unless Scott asks. Max length about 100 mm SL (Seriously Fish) / 10–12 cm in the hobby (AquaInfo; ciklider.se); FishBase lists 15 cm TL. IUCN: Critically Endangered (Konings 2018), assessed 22 May 2018, after a reported ~70% decline from aquarium-trade collection.
Aquarium care
Give a harem a tank of at least about 175 L with a base around 120 cm long (ciklider.se; AquaInfo; Seriously Fish gives a smaller absolute floor of 120 × 30 cm / ~108 L for minimal setups). Keep it at about 23–26°C, pH 7.5–8.5 and 10–25 dGH; hosts differ (FishBase and AquaInfo 22–26°C, pH 7.5–8.5; ciklider.se 23–27°C, pH 7.5–8.5; Seriously Fish 25–29°C, pH 7.5–9.0, 10–25 dGH; FishBase dH 10–30). Use fine sand so it can sift for food, with rock piles and open sand between them. It is very sensitive to poor or unstable water, so add it only to a mature tank, filter heavily and change 30–50% of the water weekly (Seriously Fish). It does not usually harm plants (Seriously Fish).
Feeding
A sand-sifting micropredator that hovers above the bottom and hunts small invertebrates with the enlarged sensory pores on its head. Feed varied fine-grade pellets and flakes, some with Spirulina or other plant matter, plus small frozen or live foods such as mysis, Artemia, chopped shrimp and mosquito larvae. Several small meals a day work better than one large one (Seriously Fish; AquaInfo; ciklider.se).
Compatibility
Among the more peaceful and timid peacocks, but males still chase females and similar-looking fish. Keep one male with several females unless the tank is very large (Seriously Fish; AquaInfo; ciklider.se). Do not keep it with other Aulonocara, because they hybridise and females are hard to tell apart — especially A. kandeense, which looks similar (Seriously Fish; AquaInfo; ciklider.se). Avoid most mbuna, which are too rough; good tankmates are calm haps such as smaller Copadichromis, Placidochromis and Lethrinops, and placid mbuna such as Labidochromis caeruleus (Seriously Fish; AquaInfo; ciklider.se). Not a fish for a soft-water community tank.
Breeding
A maternal mouthbrooder that often breeds in the main tank. Keep one male with three to four or more females so his chasing is spread out (Seriously Fish; AquaInfo; ciklider.se). He displays over open sand or a flat rock; the female lays eggs a few at a time and picks them up, and the eggs are fertilised in her mouth when she mouths the egg spots on his anal fin. She holds the brood for about 3–4 weeks (up to ~28 days) and usually does not eat. Fry take Artemia nauplii or crushed flake straight away and can be sexed at about 4 months (Seriously Fish; AquaInfo).
Sources
Compiled from multiple independent care sheets — not copied from a single site.