Aulonocara sp. "walteri"

Above: A male Aulonocara sp. "walteri". Photo by Rick Borstein.

Etymology:

Genus- Aulos= flute (Greek), cara= head (Greek), referring to sensory pores in head.
Species- walteri= named after Walter Dieckhoff.

Intro:

Aulonocara sp. “walteri” is an undescribed peacock from Lake Malawi. It is similar to Aulonocara jacobfreibergi (Konings, 2007). It is a rock dwelling Aulonocara.

Distribution:

Aulonocara sp. "walteri" is found around Chizmulu in Lake Malawi.

Size, Maturity, and Sexual Dimorphism:

Size: Males- 6 inches, Females- 4.5 inches
Maturity: 3.5 inches
Sexual Dimorphism: Males are larger and have a blue color with some light color on the shoulders, while females are gray.

Care:

Aulonocara sp. “walteri” is pretty easy to care for. Since this fish is not aggressive, all they really need is swimming room. This fish is extremely active and really fast. I recommend a trio for a community 75 gallon tank.

Diet:

Like all Aulonocara species, Aulonocara sp. “walteri” has sensory pores on its face. With these they can sense movement underground on the lake floor from worms, snails, and etc. Although this fish is a carnivore in the wild, they will gladly eat anything in aquaria.

Breeding:

Aulonocara sp. “walteri” is easy to breed. As long as this fish is not getting beaten on by its tankmates it should breed without issue. This fish is a mouthbrooder. They hold for about 25 days and then the fry are free swimming. These guys grow super fast and are easy to raise on crushed flake. After 2 months they were nearing two inches!

Conclusion:

Although Aulonocara sp. “walteri” is not a popular or common peacock, it is a nice peaceful fish to keep.

References:

• Konings, A. (2007) Malawi cichlids in their natural habitat. 4th ed., Cichlid Press, El Paso, Texas, 424 pp.