Home / Fishes / Cichlids / Cichlidae / Sulfurhead aulonocara

No federal permit to keep

Sulfurhead aulonocara

Aulonocara maylandi

Fishes › Cichlids (Cichliformes) › Cichlidae (Cichlids)

The sulfurhead aulonocara (Aulonocara maylandi) or sulfurhead peacock is a species of haplochromine cichlid which is endemic to Lake Malawi in the country of Malawi and has only been observed on West Reef (Luwala Reef) and Eccles Reef (Chimwalani Reef).

Aquarium hobby

Experience: Intermediate

FamilyCichlids

Adult lengthup to 5.9 in

WaterFreshwater

HabitatLives in freshwater

Care at a glance

Species-specific aquarium care

Tank: At least 30 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 5.9 in / 15 cm).
Water: Freshwater.
Temperature: 72–79°F (range recorded for this species).
pH: 7.5–8.5.
Hardness: 10–30 dGH.
Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
Diet: A predator: feed meaty foods sized to its mouth (frozen fish, shrimp, worms); it will eat tankmates that fit in its mouth. FishBase classes it as a carnivore.

Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.

Care guide

Species care notes

Tank: a base of at least 47 × 12 in (roughly 29 US gallons); space needed is rated “large tank”.
Water: hard, alkaline water, 77–84 °F, pH 7.5–9, 10–25 dGH.
Behaviour: a shoaling fish best kept in a group of six or more; suited to a community tank.
Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).

Short excerpts from the species profile:

Setup: “Arrange some piles of rockwork around the tank but leave some open spaces between them and use fine sand as substrate so that it's able to feed naturally (see 'diet').”
Tankmates: “Among the most peaceful and timid members of the genus and a species-specific set-up is recommended, although in larger aquaria it can be kept with other non-aggressive spaecies provided these are chosen with care.”
Breeding: “Maternal mouthbrooder which will often spawn in a community set-up, but should be moved or maintained in a specific tank if the intention is to maximise yield.”

From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167

Group care guide

Lake Malawi peacocks and haps

Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Open water and sand of Lake Malawi. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.

Housing & setup

Hard, alkaline water (pH 7.8–8.6), a long tank (5 ft+ for larger haps) with open sand and some rock.
Generally less aggressive than mbuna; males color up best with several females.

Sources 117 119 164 118 272

Climate & lighting

Water

76–82°F

Sources 117 119 164 118 272

Diet

For Aulonocara stuartgranti, use small prepared foods with some vegetable content and varied small live/frozen invertebrates. Match other haps to their own feeding ecology.

Sources 117 119 164 118 272

Health watch

Do not diagnose bloat from a label such as “mbuna-style food”; Aulonocara stuartgranti diets can include vegetable foods. Match food and tankmates to the species.

Sources 117 119 164 118 272

Understanding the animal

About this animal

It is threatened by collection for the aquarium trade and this has caused a 70% reduction in numbers. In this mouthbrooding species, the eggs are cared for by the females only, and it is found over mixed sand and rocky areas where they hunt small invertebrates in the sand.

Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Sulfurhead aulonocara” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174

In the wild

From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.¹

Where it lives	Lives in freshwater, in lakes. Uses both the bottom and open water. Mainly found over sand bordering the rocky reef. Feeds on small sand-dwelling invertebrates.
Water it lives in	Freshwater, 72–79 °F (22–26 °C), pH 7.5–8.5, hardness 10–30 dH.
Climate	Tropical climate.
Wild diet	Hunting macrofauna (predator).
Behavior to plan for	Breeding: external brooders, maternal parental care.

What this means for care

Keep water within its wild range, 72–79 °F.
Parents guard eggs or young, so expect territorial behavior when breeding.

FishBase species summary: Aulonocara maylandi

From the sources

Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.

Overview	The sulfurhead aulonocara (Aulonocara maylandi) or sulfurhead peacock is a species of haplochromine cichlid which is endemic to Lake Malawi in the country of Malawi and has only been observed on West Reef (Luwala Reef) and Eccles Reef (Chimwalani Reef). It is threatened by collection for the aquarium trade and this has caused a 70% reduction in numbers. In this mouthbrooding species, the eggs are cared for by the females only, and it is found over mixed sand and rocky areas where they hunt small invertebrates in the sand. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Where it lives	Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase
Reproduction	Maximum number of 50 eggs. — FishBase
Biology	Mainly found over sand bordering the rocky reef. Feeds on small sand-dwelling invertebrates. Females mouthbrood eggs. — FishBase

Data and studies

The numbers

Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.

Adult length

Average of sources4.9in

FishBase 1645.9

Seriously Fish species profiles 1673.9

Maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.

Water temperature

Average of sources74.5–81.5°F

FishBase 16472–79

Seriously Fish species profiles 16777–84

Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.

pH

Average of sources7.5–8.8

FishBase 1647.5–8.5

Seriously Fish species profiles 1677.5–9

Water hardness

Average of sources10–27.5dGH

FishBase 16410–30

Seriously Fish species profiles 16710–25

Minimum tank footprint

Reported47in

Seriously Fish species profiles 16747

Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 47 × 12 in (about 29 US gallons).

Federal legal snapshot

No federal permit to keep

No federal law singles out this species for private keepers. State and local rules still apply.

State law decides most of it. Each state sets its own permits and bans for exotic, native, venomous and dangerous animals, and cities and counties can be stricter. Find your state agency →

Not covered by the Animal Welfare Act

The Act only covers warm-blooded animals. Reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates have no federal care standards, even at licensed facilities; state and local rules may still apply.

Kept in captivity?

Every species on this site needs evidence that people actually keep it. For this one:

FishBase records it in the aquarium trade (Aquarium=commercial; AquariumFishII=based mainly on breeding)
4 iNaturalist observations of captive animals
Has a Seriously Fish aquarium species profile

Sources for this sheet

FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional diseases of fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Seriously Fish — Aulonocara stuartgranti Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.