Grant's peacock cichlid

Grant's peacock cichlid is a member of the Cichlidae family endemic to Lake Malawi in East Africa, where it inhabits the transitional zone between rocky and sandy substrates. It belongs to the Aulonocara group known collectively as "peacocks" for the vivid, iridescent coloration of dominant males, which display electric blues, oranges and yellows depending on the geographic variant. Males are territorial and can be pushy toward one another, so a spacious tank with a harem of several females and clear line-of-sight breaks reduces aggression. Females and juveniles are drab silver-brown for camouflage on the sand. This species is best kept in hard, alkaline water with fine sand and rockwork. It feeds on invertebrates sifted from the substrate in the wild and accepts quality pellets and frozen foods; avoid excessive live blackworm to prevent bloat. It is a maternal mouthbrooder, with females incubating eggs and fry in the buccal cavity.