Aulonocara Fire Fish
Dragons Blood
Aulonocara Fire Fish – Aulonocara Sp. Dragons Blood is a very popular, vibrant African cichlid. In the wild, these beauties would typically be found in Lake Malawi, a rift lake located in Africa. Most of these fire fish are found to be “hybrid” meaning they were man made.
The males are a prominent color of bursting blue, while the females can range in colors from silvers to greys. Malawi style aquariums which provide lots of rock to create passageways for the Aulonocara Fire fish to meander through. These areas of cover will allow them to claim territory, provide them with protection if they need it and it will also reduce stress levels of your fish.
Common Name: Aulonocara Fire Fish
Scientific Name: Aulonocara Sp. Dragons Blood
Typical Adult Fish Size: 13cm / 5 Inches
Natural Habitat: Rift Lake, Malawi, Africa
Ideal Tank Ecosystem: Rocky Malawi style aquarium with plenty of open swimming space.
Recommended Aquarium Capacity: 40 gallon/160 Litres+
Species Compatibility: Best kept with species of similar size and species which are less aggressive than african cichlids. Examples such as Haps and peacock cichlids.
Care Level: Beginner+
Aquarium Water Temperature: 23–28°C / 73–82°F
Aquarium Water pH: Range 7.6–8.6
Feeding: Omnivorous. Does well on vegetable. African cichlid pellet and flake foods are good as a main diet. Supplement pellets and flake foods with fresh, rinsed green vegetables like zucchini, romaine and spinach. Bloodworms and brine shrimp are another great treat.
Sexing: Males feature a bright blue color while the female can range from silver to grey.
Breeding: Peacock Cichlids are mouthbreeders. This means that they are capable of holding their eggsyoung linkmouths. A recommended water hardness of 10–18 dH is their preference with warmer temperatures ranging from 79–84°F (26–29°C). You may find that breeding males will show increased levels of aggression.
The female will spawn a little bunch of eggs within the rocky bottom of the aquarium. The young should be raised on fresh hatched Artemia and a flake food that is recommended for fry. Ask us what foods we feed to our cichlids.
Other Considerations: The Aulonocara Fire Fish — Aulonocara Sp. Dragons Blood will thrive in Malawi style nature aquariums which provide rocky and sandy or fine gravel areas, with few aquatic plants.