Peacock Suprise

**rhonin** · 12-02-2009, 09:15 PM

I was in a LFS a week ago and they had this small lonely peacock in an apple snail tank (200gallon) all by his lonesome. Was a nice looking fish, bit beat up.

I asked the store guy how much just for the heck of it. $6.99

I bought. He came home and into my Malawi tank after a brief QT.

Anyway, I have been trying to id him and think he is an Aulonocara jacobfreibergi (Malawi Butterfly) due to this coloration and shape.

It is hard to tell in the photo but the upper portion of his dorsal shades to white, along with the top edge of his tail and leading edges of his pectorals.
He acts a bit more aggressive (especially amongst the mbunas) than my Blue Neon peacock.

Aulonocara jacobfreibergi.jpg

Can anyone confirm this id for me (or point me in another direction)....

Thanks!!

**sunfishman** · 12-03-2009, 12:10 AM

im not sure but it looks alot like a ruby red or a german red peacock. hope this helps.

**hybridguy** · 12-03-2009, 12:29 AM

There are hundreds of peacocks so there is no telling what all kinds of peacock he has, i also bought several peacocks that look very similar to that one but they are all a little different, bought mine under mixed peacocks. It definatily looks to have some ruby red in it though, this is just my opinion.

Very nice photos by the way.

**rhonin** · 12-03-2009, 01:41 AM

Originally Posted by sunfishman

im not sure but it looks alot like a ruby red or a german red peacock. hope this helps.

I have a 30 with a breeding pair of German Reds (trying).... So I can definitely say not that.....

thx!!

**rhonin** · 12-03-2009, 01:57 AM

Thanks!!!!

I'm gonna keep digging.
May take him (pics) to my LFS who are very knowledgable about african cichlids. The pics I post are really reduced in size - the originals are 1600x1200.

Here is another view of mine:
Unk_Peacock.jpg

I was comparing to this from Dave's Rare Aquarium site:
Aulonocarajacobfreibergi_001.jpg

Thanks for the help!!

He is doing great in his new home.

**rhonin** · 12-03-2009, 04:29 PM

Took some video and a couple of hi-def pics to my LFS and asked them to take a look. (FYI: they had 2 wild Malawi Butterfly, one more red, other bit more orange)

Their opinion was that it could be a Malawi Butterfly but suspect it is a hybrid. When we compared the body mine was a bit more "streamlined" in shape.

Anyway, thanks for the comments!!!

**Bur01014** · 12-14-2009, 02:59 AM

I have been housing peacocks for quite a while.....you can tell by his fins and body shape he isn't a german red....however, the color gives it away as well. The peacock clearly is a swallowtail.....

check out the link....

http://www.livefishdirect.com/store.php?fid=55

**Bur01014** · 12-14-2009, 03:00 AM

on second thought.....looking at it again- maybe a eureka red jake.....could be a hybrid between the two, but then again, all peacocks are hybrid these days lol....

http://www.livefishdirect.com/store.php?fid=46

another link of eureka red jake

**rhonin** · 12-14-2009, 04:02 AM

Spent more time looking for id of this one fish....

Thx BUR01014 for the links.

At this stage the only thing it looks like is based on body and fin shape it is some kind of Aulonocara