A beginner's guide to African cichlids (Mbuna & peacocks)

Short answer: African Rift Lake cichlids — the colourful Mbuna and peacocks from Lake Malawi — need hard, alkaline water, plenty of rockwork, and a plan for managing aggression. They are not a peaceful community fish. Give them a larger tank (a 55 US gallon or bigger is a sensible start for Mbuna), stack rock into caves and territories, stock in a way that spreads out aggression, and keep the water hard and buffered around pH 7.8 to 8.6. Feed a cichlid-appropriate diet and do regular water changes. Get those basics right and they are among the most rewarding freshwater fish you can keep.

Mbuna vs peacocks

Both come from Lake Malawi but behave differently:

• Mbuna are the rock-dwellers — active, boldly striped, largely vegetarian grazers, and generally the most aggressive of the two. Think demasoni, yellow labs and their relatives.
• Peacocks (Aulonocara) live over the sand between the rocks, hunt small invertebrates, and are usually a little calmer, with the males carrying intense metallic colour.

Because their diets and temperaments differ, many keepers pick one group rather than mixing them freely. We can help you plan a stocking list that works together — browse the Mbuna and peacock collections, plus our wider assorted African cichlids.

Water: hard and alkaline

These fish evolved in mineral-rich lakes, so they want hard water with a high pH. Much of the tap water in southern Alberta is already fairly hard, which suits them, but you should test to be sure. Where you need to raise or hold hardness and pH, mineral salts and buffers made for Rift Lake tanks do the job — you will find these in our water conditioners. Whatever you use, follow the product label for dosing and change water regularly so it stays stable.

Rockwork and aggression

Aggression is the thing that catches new keepers out. African cichlids are territorial, and the way you manage that is largely through the layout and the stocking:

• Build rockwork. Stack rock into a structure with plenty of caves and sight breaks so fish can hold territories and escape each other. Browse rock and hardscape in our aquarium décor. Support tall stacks on the glass base, not on loose substrate.
• Stock to spread aggression. Counter-intuitively, a somewhat busier tank often has less bloodshed than a sparse one, because no single fish can dominate. Getting the numbers and mix right matters — ask us rather than guessing.
• Give them space. More water and a longer footprint make everything easier. Our guide on how many fish fit a tank covers the principles.

Feeding

Match the food to the fish. Mbuna are mostly herbivorous and do best on a lower-protein, vegetable-based diet — too much rich, meaty food can cause digestive problems in them. Peacocks take a more varied diet. Feed a quality cichlid food from our nutrition range, and ask us which formula suits the fish you are keeping.

Maintenance

A well-stocked cichlid tank produces a lot of waste, so stay on top of water changes to keep nitrate down and the water stable — see aquarium water changes. Come in or call and we will help you plan a tank around the fish you like.

Written by the team at Tropical Fish Imports in Lethbridge, Alberta. Last reviewed August 2026.

Thinking about a first African cichlid tank? Tell us your tank size and we will help you choose fish that get along — visit the shop, call 403-380-4506, or send us an email.