B-e-a-utiful Peacock

[ben1234]

Hi ya'll
Went to the pet store today and discovered the sunburst peacock chiclid. It is truely one of the most beatiful fish i've seen. Anyways I have a 90 gallon setup with perfect params. My question for you experts out there is whether or not I would be able to acclimate the peacock from its natural ph to a ph around 6.8-6.9. I realize that they like alkaline water and all but I'm very curious. I never buy on instinct so I thought I would do a little research. Also I am wondering how agressive they are. I know african chiclids for the most part are mean but I heard through the grapevine that peacocks are actually kind of timid if bought young.
Thanks in advance for your replys,
Benjamin

 

[caboose_122]

hi, peacocks are quite timid, they are also very colourful, one thing you might want to watch out for is if you are going to keep peacocks you should only keep males, enless you are going to breed them then you should only keep the same species. you can keep peacocks with other malawis, mbuna can be a bit to much for the peacocks becuase of there aggression, you could also keep smaller haplocromis, its best to keep peacocks to a species tank or mix them with "haps" its usually better not to keep peacocks with mbuna becuase of there dietary needs also, haps would be fine with peacocks as far as dietary needs, the ph should best be kept around 8.0 although 7.5 and up is tollerated

this is a good start to peacocks:
http/www.cichlidforum.com/articles/peacocks.php

http/www.cichlidforum.com/articles/peacock_corner.php

any other questions you have we would love to help

 

[ben1234]

Thanks for the info and the links. So it sounds to me it would not be advisable to have a peacock unless I harden my water....bummer! Just curious what would occur to the fish if it did live in a more acidic water? Disease, starvation, loss of color, or sudden death?
Thanks for the help
Benjamin

 

[caboose_122]

it would probably cause stress to the fish, that can then lead to desease and death, and easy way to get your ph up is adding crushed coral to as your substrate or to your filter, and have lime stone for decor as that also raises the ph then you would be fine

heres a few more links on buffering your ph:

home buffer recipe:
http/www.cichlidforum.com/articles/buffer_recipe.php

this might help also:
http/www.cichlidforum.com/articles/hardness.php

 

[ben1234]

thanks Caboose_122!