Aulonocara Masoni

[Blue Ram]

I picked up a very nice pair of these peacocks at the auction which I would like to try and breed. The male is showing lots of colour but is only about 2.5 - 3" in length. I suspect they are of breeding age.

I need some advice on what would be the best size of tank to keep them in for breeding. Will the adults eat the fry if they are not removed from the tank? Will it be too stressful on the female being that I just have one? From what I've read so far, it would be better to have more females but I'm not sure that I will be able to find some.

Could I put some buffaloheads in with them or should I just leave the pair in the tank?

[JLake]

I dont have exp with these particular fish, but ideally if they will breed by themselves in say a 33 to 55 gallon i would leave them alone. Most africans learn not to eat their fry after a few attempts, imo especially if they are by themselves. Im sure someone else may tell you the opposite, its just what i do when i want to breed certain peacocks, ideally a few females is better but one has and does work for me so give it a try.

[African_Fever]

The adults will eat the fry after they've been released by the female. If you've got plenty of hiding spots (smaller rocks I find work well) there's a chance that some will survive in the main tank, but peacocks are opportunistic piscivores in the wild and I've always found do a better job and finishing off strays hiding in the rocks than many mbuna. If you want to raise any significant number of fry you're best off removing the female when she's carrying and have her release them in a separate tank.

As JLake said, a 33 and up is good for breeding them, but you're right in that the female can take a beating if she's alone. Buffaloheads or even rainbows/barbs might be a good addition to take some of the abuse away from the female if you're finding that she is constantly getting harassed.