Offer a high-quality species-appropriate staple plus supplemental foods suited to the fish's natural feeding strategy. Avoid overfeeding and remove uneaten food.
Care Instructions
Maintain stable 76–82°F water and appropriate chemistry. Size the aquarium for adult fish, territorial behavior, swimming room, and biological load.
Flow & Filtration
Use mature biological filtration with good oxygenation and species-appropriate flow. Ammonia and nitrite should remain at zero; manage nitrate with regular maintenance.
Planted Tank Suitability
Plant compatibility depends on digging, grazing, hardness requirements, and aggression. Use hardy attached plants or protected planting where appropriate.
Tank Mate Compatibility
Good Tank Mates
Peacock Cichlids
Compatible Haps
Synodontis
Use Caution
Large Mbuna
Avoid
Small Fish
Peaceful Soft-water Fish
Compatibility Notes
Best with similarly sized Malawi haps/peacocks; small fish may be treated as prey.
Breeding Notes
Breeding strategy is species-specific. Provide suitable spawning sites and a dedicated fry plan when breeding is intended.