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Cichlids
/ Africa / Lake Malawi / Peacock Cichlids / Lake Malawi Butterfly Cichlid
Jacobfreibergi, Lake Malawi Butterfly Cichlid
Aulonocara jacobfreibergi | Pictures
[Pictures]
Aulonocara jacobfreibergi
Synonyms: None
Physical description: An elongated cichlid whose body shape is similar to that of other Peacock Cichlids.
Several
different color variations are known, although only one is common in the hobby.
A dark, indigo blue color extends along
the lower jaw and to the rear part of the body.
The forehead and the upper back is reddish-brown in color.
Nine
to ten faint, but dark, horizontal stripes are located on the body.
The first starts just behind the gill
cover, and the last ends at the base of the tail.
The dorsal and caudal fins are iridescent blue and the pectoral fin
is transparent.
The anal fin is red and black with an electric blue trim.
The first ray of the pelvic fins is
also an electric blue color.
Size/Length: To 5" (13 cm)
Similar species: Peacock Cichlid (
Aulonocara hansbaenschi)
Aulonocara korneliae,
Aulonocara nyassae, Grant's Peacock (
Aulonocara
stuartgranti
)
Habitat: Eastern Africa; rocky and sandy areas of Lake Malawi.
S: bottom, middle
Aquarium: 40" (100 cm) or 40 gallons (150 L).
Set-up the tank as one would for other
peacock cichlids.
See the introduction for Peacock Cichlids.
Water chemistry: pH 7.5-8.8 (8.2), 10-25 dH (15), 77-84°F (25-29°C)
Social behavior: A peaceful fish that can be combined in a community tank containing other robust fish.
Keep
one male with several females.
The Lake Malawi Butterfly Cichlid has similar behavior to other Peacocks.
Suggested companions: Synodontis,
Lamprologus (and allies), Lake Tanganyika Rainbowfish (
Lamprichthys
).
FOOD: Live; bloodworms, mosquito larvae, crustaceans, snails,
Tubifex; pellets; tablets
SEX: Females are pale, while males are more colorful-usually dark indigo blue.
Breeding techniques: See A.
hansbaenschi.
Breeding potential: 6.
Breeding this Peacock is not especially difficult.
Remarks:
Several different color morphs are imported.
Difficulty of care: 4.
A hardy Peacock, whose diet should include live foods.
Recent articles about fish
Overfishing may hurt Amazon forest trees
(2/5/2008) Overfishing is reducing the effectiveness of seed dispersal by fish in the Brazilian Pantanal, reports Nature. The research suggests that fishing practices can affect forest health.
Scientists find fish that literally lives in trees
(10/17/2007) Scientists have found a fish that literally lives in trees, according to research published in The American Naturalist and highlighted in New Scientist Magazine.
Piranhas originated when Amazon was flooded by seawater
(12/4/2007) South America's piranha family of fish -- notorious as eaters of flesh -- can be traced back to a single ancestor which dispersed when the Amazon was flooded by seawater some five million years ago, report researchers from the Institut de Recherche Pour le Developpement (IRD). Today piranhas are exclusively freshwater fish found from the Orinoco River basin in Venezuela to the Parana in Argentina.
How to save the world's oceans from overfishing
(7/8/2007) Global fishing stocks are in trouble. After expanding from 18 millions tons in 1950 to around 94 million tons in 2000, annual world fish catch has leveled off and may even be declining. Scientists estimate that the number of large predatory fish in the oceans has fallen by 90 percent since the 1950s, while about one-quarter of the world's fisheries are overexploited, depleted, or recovering from depletion. Despite these dire trends, the situation is changing. Today some of the world's largest environmental groups are focused on addressing the health of marine life and oceans, while sustainable fisheries management is at the top of the agenda for intergovenmental bodies. At the forefront of these efforts is Mike Sutton, director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium's conservation program: the Center for the Future of the Oceans. The aquarium, which has long been recognized as one of the world's most important marine research facilities, is pioneering new strategies for protecting the planet's oceans. Sutton says the approach has four parts: establishing new marine protected areas, pushing for ocean policy reform, promoting sustainable seafood, and protecting wildlife and marine ecosystems.
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