Malawi Peacocks

Malawi Peacocks presents an interactive way to enjoy your favorite cichlids in their natural habitat. The information, written by Ad Konings, is illustrated by more than 300 photos and 7 videos taken in Lake Malawi. Interactive slideshows and pop-up maps give a complete picture of these colorful and fascinating cichlids. Lake Malawi in East Africa harbors more species of the cichlid family than all the freshwater fish species known from the North American continent. In this lake the cichlids of the genus Aulonocara, all very popular among aquarists, form a very distinct group. The Malawi Peacocks, as members of Aulonocara are known in the hobby, all have an enlarged lateral line system (the sensory system, comparable to our ears), and they use such a sonar as sensitive food-detectors. One of the videos in this interactive book shows how Malawi Peacocks locate their food without actually seeing it.

The genus Aulonocara is large and contains two different assemblages of species. The aquaristically well-known group comprises cichlids with a preference for habitats that include rocks, which are hence known as the rock-dwelling Aulonocara. This assemblage can be subdivided into five different groups: the jacobfreibergi types (cave dwellers), the stuartgranti types, the chitande types, the maylandi types, and the non-territorial A. saulosi. The second assemblage consists of mainly sand-dwelling cichlids with a group of species normally found in relatively shallow water and another group comprising species that occur only in very deep water and have never been observed in their natural habitat. All of the 45 known species of Aulonocara are discussed and illustrated. Enjoy your cichlids!