Malawi butterfly peacock
The cave-holding member of the peacock genus, with a broader finnage and a heavier build than its sand-dwelling relatives. It hunts the same way they do but defends a fixed shelter rather than an open patch, which changes what it needs from a tank and who it can share one with.
Quick profile
- Scientific name
- Aulonocara jacobfreibergi
- Adult size
- 12–16 cm (4.7–6.3 in)
- Lifespan
- 6–10 years
- Temperature
- 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- pH
- 7.6–8.6
- Hardness
- 10–20 °dGH
- Minimum tank
- 300 L (79 US gal)
- Minimum length
- 120 cm
- Swimming zone
- Bottom
- Social
- Harem — at least 4
- Diet
- Insectivore
- Overall confidence
- moderate confidence
What keeping this species involves
No harder to feed or to keep in water than any other Malawi cichlid. The requirement that catches people is spatial: a cave holder in a tank with one rock pile has nowhere for a second male to go.
Large caves and overhangs in the rocky zone, deeper than the mbuna occupy, with the fish emerging onto adjacent sand to feed.
Identity and names
- Common name
- Malawi butterfly peacock
- Scientific name
- Aulonocara jacobfreibergi
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Order
- Cichliformes
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Also sold as
- Aulonocara jacobfreibergi, Eureka red peacock, butterfly peacock, jacobfreibergi
Adult size and growth
12–16 cm (4.7–6.3 in)
Typical lifespan in an aquarium: 6–10 years. Almost every animal sold in a shop is a juvenile, so the tank has to suit the size in the first line rather than the size in the bag.
Shape, which is what the compatibility engine reads instead of length alone: deep-bodied with a moderate. Assigned from what is typical of Cichlidae, not examined for this species.
Water and tank requirements
A cave holder that patrols the sand outside its cave. Both parts have to fit, which means rockwork at one end and open floor at the other rather than rock throughout.
Temperature (°C)
Scale: 0 to 36 °C.
pH (pH)
Scale: 4 to 9.5 pH.
Hardness (°dGH)
Scale: 0 to 30 °dGH.
Why these ranges: The same lake water as every other Malawi species in this catalogue. What varies between them is depth and habitat, neither of which moves the chemistry.
Where these figures come from
Habitat class
Lake Malawi
A large rift lake — alkaline and well buffered, but considerably softer and less mineral-rich than Tanganyika.
Alkaline but not hard. The widespread advice to add large quantities of salt mix for Malawi cichlids overshoots the lake, and the pH matters more than the hardness does.
- Conductivity
- 200–280 µS/cm
- Flow
- low
- Dissolved oxygen
- near saturation
- Seasonality
- weak
These are figures for the KIND of water body, not measurements of this species. They are AquariumHQ’s summary of the general limnology and are given wide because the water is.
- TemperatureReasoned on this record
- This record states its own reason for this band. See the water section.
- pHReasoned on this record
- This record states its own reason for this band. See the water section.
- General hardnessReasoned on this record
- This record states its own reason for this band. See the water section.
| Requirement | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 24–27 °C (75–81 °F) | Stability matters more than hitting an exact figure. |
| pH | 7.6–8.6 | A stable pH outside the ideal band is usually better than an unstable one inside it. |
| General hardness | 10–20 °dGH | Check your supplier's published figure before choosing species. |
| Carbonate hardness | 10–18 °dKH | Buffering capacity — what stops the pH moving. |
| Minimum volume | 300 L (79 US gal) | A floor, not a recommendation. |
| Minimum footprint | 120 cm long × 45 cm deep | A cave holder that patrols the sand outside its cave. Both parts have to fit, which means rockwork at one end and open floor at the other rather than rock throughout. |
| Water flow | moderate | Match the outflow to this rather than to the filter's rating. |
| Lid required | Recommended | Reduces evaporation and prevents accidents. |
| Structure | At least one cave per male, built large enough for the fish to turn around inside, plus open sand for hunting. Caves that are too small are ignored and the male takes a female's instead. |
Behaviour
- Reverses into a cave tail-first when threatened and faces outward from the entrance, which is why the cave has to be wide enough to turn in.
- Feeds by hovering over sand and striking downward, the same technique as the open-water peacocks despite the different home.
Telling males from females
Males show a metallic blue face with red, orange or yellow flanks depending on the population, and long trailing extensions to the dorsal and anal fins. Females are brown and barred.
Feeding
Takes larger prey than the sand-sifting peacocks and will accept a coarser pellet, but the feeding method is the same downward strike into substrate.
- Diet type
- Insectivore
- Staples
- Sinking cichlid pellets, Frozen mysis, Frozen krill, Frozen brine shrimp
- Avoid
- Bloodworm as a staple
Breeding
- Strategy
- Maternal mouthbrooding, with spawning taking place inside the male's cave
- Difficulty
- straightforward
- Parental care
- mouthbrooding
Tankmates and compatibility
Assessments are derived from stored traits by the compatibility engine, with the reasoning shown. A verdict is a statement about probability, not a guarantee — individual temperament can override it.
| Towards | Risk | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Small fish | high | Anything that fits in the mouth is at risk once this species reaches adult size. |
| Adult dwarf shrimp | high | Cover reduces losses but rarely prevents them where the risk is high. |
| Shrimplets | near-certain | Determines whether a shrimp colony can grow rather than merely persist. |
| Snails | moderate | Applies to snails you wanted as well as snails you did not. |
| Long or trailing fins | occasional | Fin damage is an entry point for secondary infection. |
| Plants | uproots | Tough species such as Anubias and Java fern survive most grazers. |
Any pair in the catalogue can be assessed with the compatibility checker.
Welfare considerations
Points where the way this species is commonly sold or kept differs from what it actually needs.
- The trade name 'Eureka red' covers a line-bred colour form rather than a wild population. Its behaviour is the species' own; its colour is not a guide to where the fish came from.
- A male without a cave he can hold does not simply do without one. He takes the best available shelter from whichever fish is in it, and in a tank with one good cave that fish is harassed continuously.
Problems to watch for
Most problems in a tank containing this species are general rather than species-specific. Start with the troubleshooting index and work from the observation rather than from a guess at the cause.
What AquariumHQ does not yet hold
Species-level disease susceptibility is modelled in the graph and is not yet populated. Health pages will not be published until each condition has veterinary sourcing, because health content written without evidence is the most harmful thing this product could publish. The gap is recorded in the coverage report.
Where it comes from
- Native range
- Lake Malawi — widespread, associated with caves in the rocky habitat
- Habitat
- Large caves and overhangs in the rocky zone, deeper than the mbuna occupy, with the fish emerging onto adjacent sand to feed.
What the checklists say
2 distribution statements retrieved from GBIF checklists. Establishment means is reproduced from the source where it states one, and left unstated where it does not — a record of presence is not a record of origin.
| Status | Places | What this means |
|---|---|---|
| Recorded as present, establishment means not stated | 2 | The source records the species as present and does not say whether it is native or introduced. AquariumHQ does not fill that in. |
No checklist AquariumHQ holds positively calls this species native anywhere, so the native range above rests on AquariumHQ’s own reading of the literature rather than on a cited checklist.
Evidence
Every stored value with the kind of support behind it and where to check it. Evidence type and confidence are separate axes: an editorial position held confidently and a measurement held tentatively are different things.
| Claim | Value | Evidence type | Confidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| scientific name | Aulonocara jacobfreibergi | Observed / measured | high confidence | Catalogue of Life; GBIF — Global Biodiversity Information Facility |
| native range | Lake Malawi — widespread, associated with caves in the rocky habitat | Observed / measured | moderate confidence | GBIF — Global Biodiversity Information Facility |
| adult size | 12–16 cm | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| lifespan | 6–10 years | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| temperature | 24–27 °C | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| ph | 7.6–8.6 pH | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| general hardness | 10–20 °dGH | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| minimum tank volume | ≥ 300 L | AquariumHQ editorial position | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| minimum tank length | ≥ 120 cm | AquariumHQ editorial position | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| carbonate hardness | 10–18 °dKH | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| minimum group size | ≥ 4 | AquariumHQ editorial position | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
Last reviewed 2026-08-10. Values labelled as an aquarium-literature consensus are AquariumHQ editorial positions rather than measurements — see how evidence is handled.
Why we say this
What each figure on this page rests on, and how far that is from being independently established.
Every figure on this page has a provenance. Open any claim to see what AquariumHQ holds for it, which sources say what, and what a claim of that kind actually needs. Different claims need different evidence: an accepted scientific name is settled by one authority, while a legal restriction needs a current primary instrument. A single source is often the right answer rather than a thin one.
scientific nameAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableBased on a verified authoritative source.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: accepted scientific name and classification — 1 authoritative source in an appropriate context. Checked against gbif on 2026-08-29. One authoritative backbone is what this class requires.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
native rangeAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableLimited evidence — treat with caution.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: where the species occurs — 1 authoritative source in an appropriate context. 2 distribution statements held, and not one of them states an establishment means. Presence without native-or-introduced is not a native-range claim, so this stays below requirement rather than being read as one.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
adult sizeAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: size a well-kept specimen reaches — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
lifespanAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
temperatureAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
phAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
general hardnessAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
minimum tank volumeAquariumHQ's judgement — no authority publishes thisAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
No external authority publishes this. The rationale carries the reasoning.
What this kind of claim needs: minimum tank size — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No authority publishes this. AquariumHQ derives it, and the derivation is recorded with its inputs and assumptions.
What would improve this: Keep the rationale current. There is no source to find.
minimum tank lengthAquariumHQ's judgement — no authority publishes thisAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
No external authority publishes this. The rationale carries the reasoning.
What this kind of claim needs: minimum tank size — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No authority publishes this. AquariumHQ derives it, and the derivation is recorded with its inputs and assumptions.
What would improve this: Keep the rationale current. There is no source to find.
carbonate hardnessAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
minimum group sizeAquariumHQ's judgement — no authority publishes thisAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
No external authority publishes this. The rationale carries the reasoning.
What this kind of claim needs: group size — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Keep the rationale current. There is no source to find.
Guides relevant to this species
Chosen from this record's own traits rather than listed on every page.
- Predator and prey sizeIt takes fish that fit in its mouth, and its mouth grows with it.
- Territorial behaviourIt defends ground, and the shape of what it defends decides the tank more than the volume does.
- Wild conditions and aquarium recommendationsThe water band on this page is an AquariumHQ position with a stated reason, not a measurement of a river.
- How to read a compatibility verdictThis animal is recorded as nipping fins, which is one of the few compatibility factors with real reports behind it.
Group size and social behaviour
Males compete over caves rather than over open ground, so aggression concentrates where the shelters are. Spacing the caves at opposite ends of a long tank is what makes two males occasionally workable; a shared rock pile never does.