A 75-gallon tank is made better with the addition of some peacock cichlids. Their stunning color is matched only by their peaceful personality. These unique Cichlids have a lot going for them, but how well do they fare in a 75-gallon tank?
At minimum, Peacock Cichlids need 55-60 gallons to thrive. They are speedy swimmers and need plenty of space to swim around for hunting.
Peacock Cichlids only grow up to 6 inches, but they are extremely active and need plenty of space to live a happy, fulfilling life. The rest of this article will walk you through Peacock Cichlids and their tank care requirements.
Peacock Cichlid Overview
With every species of peacock hailing from Lake Malawi in eastern Africa, only a few of them are actually kept in aquariums. Naturally, the 9th deepest lake in the world provides plenty of space for them to swim around in, an attribute to their free-willed nature.
With proper care, they can live 6-8 years. Peacocks are aggressive towards others of their kind, but the aggression usually only manifests as territorial behavior. They prefer the following water conditions:
- A temperature of 74-82 degrees Fahrenheit or 23-27 degrees Celsius.
- A pH between 7.5-8.5
- Water hardness of 4-6 dH
Their natural water parameters are a bit warmer than other Cichlids simply due to the stable temperature conditions of their native Lake Malawi. This lake is temperature stable year-round, so it’s best to try to stabilize your water parameters in your tank as much as possible to keep your peacocks happy.
A good water test kit is important for these Peacock Cichlids, both to keep them healthy and to let their vibrant colors shine.
How Many Peacock Cichlids Can I Have in a 75 Gallon Tank?
14-16 Peacock Cichlids is enough for a 75-gallon tank. Any more than that can make handling the bioload much more difficult, creating an unideal tank environment for your peacocks.
You should also make sure that your tank is stocked with more females than males. Having an overabundance of males with only a few females can lead to aggressive behavior from the males, both towards each other and towards the females.
A larger number of females helps spread the aggression of mating behavior and territorial aggression out among the group so that no one member gets targeted to the point of exhaustion.
If you’re starting out stocking a tank with Cichlids and want to do a test run, consider starting out with just two pairs of males and females, with an extra female in the tank. This is ideal as well if you want to stock your tank with other compatible tankmates.
While the choice of how much to stock your 75-gallon tank is up to you, it’s always a good idea to provide caves and keep your tank heavily planted to reduce aggression.
Males will be less aggressive towards each other if their line of sight is blocked more often, and females will be able to get respite from male mating behaviors if they have somewhere to hide. Planting and caving a tank also add aesthetic value to a tank and can make the environment feel more natural for the fish.
How Big of a Tank Does a Peacock Cichlid Need?
A Peacock Cichlid does best in a 55-60-gallon tank, providing plenty of space for them to swim around and effectively simulating their natural environment. They are adept swimmers and constantly active, so providing them plenty of space to swim around is a must if you want to give them a good quality of life.
How Many Oscars Can I Put in a 75 Gallon Tank with Peacock?
For most Oscars, a 75-90-gallon tank is ideal for just one fish. A smaller tank is acceptable for a grow out tank, but adult Oscars will not be happy in anything smaller than a 75-gallon tank.
100 gallons or more is preferable if you want to house Oscars with Peacock Cichlids. The Oscars can hit over a foot long, with the Peacock Cichlids usually maxing out at six inches. With this in mind, bigger is always better when considering how big a fish will eventually get.
If you have an Oscar or two in your large tank, reduce the amount of Peacock Cichlids and ensure that your fish are not exhibiting any stress behaviors from being in a tank that’s too small.
Can They Live Together?
Oscars can coexist with Peacock Cichlids, but it’s generally not a wise idea. They usually tend to be quite aggressive, and when fully sized, they are more than capable of seriously injuring the peacocks. Cichlids in general tend to be quite aggressive as well, which doesn’t work well with the Oscar’s personality.
Oscars can coexist with very passive fish like Bala Sharks, Parrot Fish, or Birchirs, but pairing any kind of fish with an Oscar incurs some degree of risk. Oscars are massive, aggressive, and have large mouths, making them capable of eating other fish whole in some circumstances.
It’s best to keep Oscars and Peacock Cichlids separated, but if you’re going to put them together, be sure to provide plenty of caves for the Cichlids to hide in and monitor the aggression level of your Oscar.
Other Compatible Fish with Peacock Cichlids
Peacock Cichlids are pretty chill when compared with other species of Cichlids, making them suitable tankmates for a range of other fish, including the following:
- Other cichlids
- Tetras
- Rainbow sharks
- Harlequin Rasboras
- Danios
- Loaches
Peaceful bottom dwellers are ideal as tank mates and provide some nice activity in the tank. Plecos, schooling fish, and loaches make great companions to fill up a tank space and make it seem livelier as well.
Final Thoughts
Peacock Cichlids are attractive for their mellow nature and bright colors, but they have demanding size requirements—tanks less than 55 gallons don’t meet their activity and size needs. If you’re putting Peacock Cichlids in a tank, aim for 75 gallons or higher to keep your fish happy and healthy.
