Data sheet Kaiser cichlid
German name:
Emperor cichlid
Scientific name:
Aulonocara nyassae
Origin:
East Africa, Lake Malawi
Size:
Up to 15cm
Aquarium
Requirements:
Length 120 cm / width 40 cm / content: 400 liters
water values
Temperature:
25°C to 27°C
GH:
10 – 15 °dGH
pH:
7.5 – 8.3 – optimal 8
Behave
Area:
Transitional area between rocks and sand zone, in the aquarium the middle and lower area, ground cover stones and sandy areas
Lining:
Behave:
Harem keeping, mating season males aggressive
Number:
small groups, one male for every 2 to 3 females, optimally 3 males and 8 to 9 females
Difficulty level:
easy, suitable for beginners
Radomil, Aulonocara hansbaenschi couple RB4, CC BY-SA 3.0
Emperor cichlids live exclusively in Lake Malawi in Africa. As NonMbuna They inhabit the transition zone from sand to rock litoral. They live a few meters deep in the crystal-clear, hard water of the lake. The peaceful fish are easy to keep and offspring appear quickly under optimal conditions. The animals are now bred in many colors.
gender differences
Males and females differ in coloring. The Males are more conspicuously colored. Their basic color is olive green to blue. The iris is golden yellow and stands out clearly against the blue of the head. The abdomen and pelvic fins can be orange-red to orange, depending on the variety. The male has 3 to 6 yellow egg spots on its anal fin. Dark horizontal stripes run across the body. The number and characteristics vary from person to person.
The females have a simple gray to brown basic color, the iris is also yellow. The striations of the body are clearly visible. They have several orange dots on the anal fin.
Inferior males look for their own territory in nature. In the aquarium this is usually not possible for reasons of space. Therefore, they camouflage themselves by wearing inconspicuous, subtle colors, similar to the females. In behavior they are reserved and cautious. Then they will not be seen as a threat by the alpha male and will be left alone. If a previously inferior male takes on the alpha role, it changes its color and wears the typical bright colors of an angelfish.
socialization
During the mating season, males are extremely aggressive and will defend their territory. Other males are rigorously expelled from it. Otherwise, Emperor cichlids are peaceful and can be socialized with other peaceful fish. It’s good if they come with you other NonMbuna species from Lake Malawi can live together in an aquarium. Small, nimble Mbuna species that live in the deeper waters of Lake Malawi are not suitable. The emperor cichlids would hunt and eat them.