My 5 Top Picks - The Best Peacocks to Start Your African Cichlid Aquarium!

#peacockcichlids
#bestfirstafricancichlids
#bestpeacockstostartwith
#africancichlids
#africanpeacocks
#cichlids
#benochart
#5bestpeacocks
What peacocks would I select as my top picks when starting an African Cichlid aquarium? If I wanted an all African cichlid peacock tank, which fish would be my 5 top picks? One of you asked for my suggestions on stocking a new 150 gallon with African cichlid peacocks. Here are my suggestions. I hope that you enjoy this video and certainly share in the comments any fish that you think should have been on the list.
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[@TripleJAquatics]

Thanks for another great one, Ben!

[@FLNYFish]

Tank looks amazing and your fish look happy

[@Joker-bx4rk]

Very beautiful selection 👌 😍

[@inventoryking]

Nice list Ben

[@DreamWeaverPets]

Awesome, They are so beautiful

[@saintsdustaquariums]

You're awesome Ben

[@davec1294]

Hello Ben I have a awesome Red Top Lawanda along with a Turkis and Mylandi and several other ones.They are awesome fish and I recommend them to any African cichlid keeper.Awsome tank and I love your channel and I always learn something.

[@dennisruedel4620]

Great choices on the Peacocks Ben! Your fish look stunning

[@paulbarrett6093]

Thank you so much Ben , a great help Thank you for taking the time out to compile this list . Yes you did pronounce my name correctly. Once again thanks alot 👍🏾.

[@BenOchart]

You’re welcome. You can add a third wave of fish to my suggestions: Z Rock, Three-Spot Torpedo (Exochochromis anagenys, they get big but grow very slowly and are docile) and some Protomelas like Imperial or Tangerine Tiger and Taiwan Reef. I suggest you stay away from the Protomelas Fire Hap. Beautiful but very edgy😀👍🏻

[@elgezouliabdul4973]

Great Channel

[@Sexy1DjBottomsUpRadio]

you have some nice cichlids you do a awsome job in all your videos i learn alot from you thank you for your videos and hard work.

[@blakemahoney9931]

Just subscribed, love your channel, keep up the great content!!

[@BenOchart]

Thank you!

[@cichlid_kings]

Awesome recommendations 😎 Intro music sounds great too 👌

[@BenOchart]

Thanks Jon!

[@autocook9572]

Great video..thank you learned alot..starting a new tank

[@BenOchart]

Great to hear!

[@Pricelistsell]

Nice to see you standing :)

[@BenOchart]

You must have noticed that my first few videos after the bike accident were filmed sitting down. I’m feeling much better. Still sore and a bit stiff, but overall very grateful to be on the mend 👍🏻

[@justinrvarga7236]

You can very well be the obionekanobi Jedi master of African cichlids 🔥🐠. I’m starting my African cichlid tank in a few weeks time. Great upload Ben

[@BenOchart]

🤣🤣🤣

[@nhojphillip3691]

Some beautiful fish there, gave me some ideas on some new fish, thanks ben, from john in scotland 💙

[@BenOchart]

Thank you John😀👍🏻

[@keepamerica2astrong280]

Hey B from South Carolina. Love your vids. Have a 100g acrylic all male Peacock cichlid tank. No haps. These are the best fish to have in my opinion. The colors are so enjoyable. Great fish to have. Never have any aggression problems. Have 25, 3-4 inchers in there now. I have just about all of your favs in my tank. Really love my OB Peacocks too. Waiting to get a Blueberry OB. I buy from Imperial Tropicals and Snake River Cichlids and have been very happy with their fish. Keep the vids coming...Thanks

[@BenOchart]

Very cool. I love acrylic tanks. You’re a 2A supporter like me 😉👍🏻

[@markbaumgardt2868]

Here in Australia we get a lot of Asian peacocks hybrid I have them I feed them White Crane once a day along with Xtreme and white Crane does not contain hormones my fish are exploding with color you would not believe keep up the excellent content 👍👍

[@themanfromcabowabo1559]

Just subbed yesterday and you answered questions in this video I’ve had for some time. Wonder what the heck else I’ve missed. Thanks!

[@BenOchart]

Is this Sammy Hagar? 😉🤣👍🏻

[@themanfromcabowabo1559]

@@BenOchart I so want to lie and say yes. 😂 Unfortunately there’s no sand in Huntsville, Ala

[@joshhopper6109]

Great list Ben... My favorite in my grow out showing color right now is a flavescent. The one I'm most excited about is my Lwanda cichlid. Another one near the top of my list is the red empress. Taiwan reef is considered a Hap but they don't get very big.

[@BenOchart]

Flavescent is an amazing fish. I loved the red top lawanda I had but he became too aggressive and I ended up giving him away. Look for “Super Red” Empress. I had a couple in Los Angeles and they were show stoppers, along with the Taiwan Reef who made up his small size with a lot of attitude.

[@raycooper2287]

Great video again Ben!! If you do as I did, get 25-30 peacock cichlids at small size, babies ...75 gallon . I had no aggression at all., I have moved them to another tank and sold some baby ones as well, they breeder alot, ..my new addition is an Mbuna tank.

[@bernielee0088]

Thanks

[@XCaliKev]

👍😎 Remember that toy when we were kids that was magnet on a stick, and you’d pull it across something and the (metal?) shavings would follow along. That’s what I thought of when you were playing with your fish. Nice list Ben, when we move, I might do an African tank again, if so I’ll come back to it. Kinda thinking my 125 as a shellie & rock dwellers tank. I think that in time, that would look cool. Although my favorite I’ve had over the years was Africans when I first got a tank in 1982(?).

[@BenOchart]

125 would be a great size for shellies!

[@bo_392]

I don't plan on having cichlids, but they're super cool, pretty and fascinating fish! You keep 'em, I'll watch 'em! xD

[@BenOchart]

Deal XD😀👍🏻

[@brianp6180]

Great choices Ben. How about a Taiwan reef ? I have one that is stunning. I have on of those jerk fish eureka reds. Fortunately I have a few other fish that keep him in line when he gets fired up. However he will pick on the smaller fish and even a few larger than he is. Crazy how these fish can be so aggressive at times and others they can coexist nicely. Kind of like human beings 😂

[@hotsoup7848]

Great list Ben.. maybe a yellow sunshine peacock Beautiful color..

[@BenOchart]

I love yellow sunshines!

[@Ifixthings7468]

Great shirt, GO Phillies

[@BenOchart]

They had a great storybook year. My son was their minor league hitting coach. He now has a bigger role with the Boston Red Sox. So I'll be getting some new shirts soon. Please don't unsub, LOL!

[@davidmccann2633]

Love the show 👍 but I keep danios 🙈😆 I love my little danio

[@kiprianwarren6353]

My current main tank only has a couple of peacocks but I'm growing out some small 1.5-2" guys I picked up at my LFS. Rubin Red, Lemon Jake, Otter Point, Flavescent. I also bought an Aulonocara rostratum which I was really excited about (had never seen one of these available previously) but as it was the smallest of the bunch it got bullied to the point of death. I'd offer up a Red Fin Borleyi as an ideal tankmate for peacocks, mine is probably the biggest member of my tank but doesn't bully my smaller peacocks and haps.

[@windowlicker532]

Great idea’s Ben.....but now I might have to make a trip to the fish store...lol.

[@BenOchart]

Tell them they owe me 🤣🤣🤣

[@mentalistsa]

Thanks for video. I mix all mine and basically rent my fish. Never can understand how a tank will work out with killers in the mix. Lately I have been adding in a few juveniles at a time. All male

[@adriellind1931]

It’s very Interesting to me how you talk about the lemon Jake being aggressive, and on my tank I have found that he is one of the most mellow fish as well as my blue neon, when compared to my OB, ruby red and fryeri. So that tells me they can go to ether side of aggression, LOL 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@BenOchart]

Very true. I’m not surprised that the OB is a jerk.

[@Davidsmithisyourdad]

I just picked up some peacocks Sunday. Got seven babies for a good price. Can't wait tell they are big enough for the 125.

[@BenOchart]

It’s a lot of fun watching them grow and color up👍🏻😀

[@Davidsmithisyourdad]

@@BenOchart for sure just like my mbuna.

[@MsJimbo1960]

Really enjoyed this Ben, your fish are beautiful.Can you tell me the dimensions of this tank please? Thank you ..

[@morgan1985uk]

Great video. Could you do best 10 small peacocks for a 55 gallon please.

[@BenOchart]

Not many small Peacock choices. Bi-color 500 stays around 5”, but most get up around 7”.

[@tamera6853]

Hi, Ben. I have a question about plants in a tank. I have several house cut offs, like Arrowheads, Marble Pothos, and regular Philodendron. They are doing well, but are there any drawbacks to using these?

[@tabithahackett651]

OB peacocks, OB Lawanda Peacocks. They are marbled and beautiful. Also Dragon Bloods

[@mraquaticnews5676]

Thanks Ben. What's your remedy for ICH?

[@BenOchart]

Go here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o5KVfJKhgrqkhbs

[@elizabethwagner2190]

I know I ask you a lot of questions but I trust your opinion. My 75gal is probably fully if not overstocked already. But nobody's to big yet no aggressive behavior except 1 jerk fish. Would it be possible to send a list of what I have and get an honest opinion on the possibility of needing another tank an when?

[@BenOchart]

Sure. Send it to me at [e-mail]. I'll be happy to take a look.

[@davidharrison7463]

Hello from England 🇬🇧 (South/East Essex), I'm setting up an aquarium which is: 7.3 feet long 2 feet wide 3.3 feet hight BUT the actual water area will be: 6.6 feet long 1.6 feet wide 3 feet high. I don't know how much water that is, I've had to take into account the double section for 2 filter systems (bog & canister) & the frame work. Question: I will be putting aquatic plants in the bog filter section, on top but I want to know how they would act yo sny Aquatic pond plants I put In my indoor pond. I want plant's as not only do they look nice but help with water quality. I plan to put the alll along the back (apart from a few inces/centimeters from the top & bottom, in little baskets that will ge hooked on, also along the sides but not right up to the front. Will they destroy them? Are yours real? Can they be kept with Peacocks? Thanks

[@charlesfranklin3533]

What about Adding a Few Venustus Cichlids to the Mix Ben????

[@BenOchart]

A Venustus is not considered a Peacock. It's a Hap and I wouldn't suggest adding more that one male to a tank because they can be very aggressive to any fish that looks like them. I currently have a beautiful Venustus that I got from the Aquarium Co-Op. You can see him in some of my more recent videos.

[@lots33ml]

I had two eureka red peacocks at different times one was a killer and one was peaceful so you never know.

[@BenOchart]

You never know what’s going on in that little Cichlid brain

[@dennispeleg7843]

What are you're thoughts on adding synodontis petricola catfish with peacock and haps? Was thinking of adding 2 and they get up to 4 inches.

[@BenOchart]

Synodontis are compatible. Provide some rocks it can relax in

[@dennispeleg7843]

@@BenOchart ended up ordering feather fin synodontis instead. Ordered just one to see how he would hold himself up and have 3 caves ready for him.

[@dennispeleg7843]

@@BenOchart if all is good I'll get him a mate

[@ovethompson9611]

What kind of plants are you using here? Are they more resistant to being dug up than “usual” aquarium plants?

[@BenOchart]

The plants in the video are artificial and were provided by Elite Cichlids. They have since gone out of business.

[@tntcichlids8015]

my ruby is absolutely evil lol

[@jayamanisam797]

Hello sir which food is best for chicklets fish for colouration and growth?

[@BenOchart]

I’m loving the results I’m getting with Xtreme. I feed a mix. Xtreme, Piscene Energetics, frozen krill and Sera.

[@davidbrown3415]

I have a 55 gallon best peacock and how many can I get please thank you

[@keithsmith9716]

What can I put in 90 gallons

[@scottreynolds4104]

What is the best rocks for them

[@BenOchart]

Smooth ones. They can injure themselves, their eyes in particular, on sharp rocks.

[@DLMyth2]

Funny thinking of getting my 2nd tank to try a peacock tank. Looking at prices for a 125gal.

[@BenOchart]

A very fun project!

[@davec1294]

PetSmart usually has a 125 or 120 tank and stand for 599.00 maybe a little more.

[@DLMyth2]

@@davec1294 cool need to look into that. Was thinking 125 since that’s longer and could give the fish more space to roam. Would love a Bachir if possible but don’t know if they play well with peacock fish.

[@davec1294]

@@DLMyth2 Not sure either, I have currently have several types of Loaches and catfish and I have never had a problem.

[@matthewsimon9503]

​@@DLMyth2 I had an ornate bichir in my tank with my peacocks for years.

[@countrygrandpa]

Thanks for another great video. How do you feel about the hybrid peacocks? I have a breeding colony from Tampa Bay cichlids in Florida that is doing great. One thing I do know is these fish act entirely different in a breeding colony than they do in a male tank. My breeding colony peacocks it appears the males look out for the females. This breeding colony is a line of fire fish that David has developed at his fish farm.

[@BenOchart]

Fire Haps, Protomelas? That’s a beautiful fish if it’s the one I’m thinking of. I like certain hybrids. OBs, the Phoenix I currently have, Dragonbloods are all very cool. Some say hybrids are more aggressive. I haven’t found that to be the case 100% of the time.

[@justcallmemax4222]

What website do you go to for cichlid information

[@BenOchart]

My go-to has been cichlid-forum.com

[@fjrboy]

Hi ,can you keep more than one of the same species together

[@BenOchart]

Sometimes it works but I wouldn’t.

[@NeithAGP]

Do you have any bad experience or recomendations about these Peacoks below: Nyassae Blue Orchid Usysia Fire Fish Apache Maulana Bicolor 500 Eureka All on the same tank (75g).

[@BenOchart]

The Eureka and Fire Fish can get aggressive and the BiColor stays small, like 5". However, it could work. Just keep an eye on the fins and if you see too much nipping have a spare tank and a willingness to swap our any that become jerk fish.

[@Dykkerdaniel]

Whats the size of the tank behind you?

[@BenOchart]

It’s a custom 210 gallon from GlassCages in Dickson, TN

[@applebtrend3221]

how about aulonocara maylandi?

[@BenOchart]

That’s a beautiful fish and would be a good addition to this list.

[@cjcichlidsbailes1346]

Where does the guy live in the UK? I breed them could help you out

[@marcelmaddox1049]

Are the plants in this tank live?

[@BenOchart]

No, African Cichlids destroy plants.

[@jonas2431]

Would a 85 gallon be good for cichlids

[@BenOchart]

Yes, and the fish in this list would work well. You could even add a few smaller Haps, like a Z Rock👍🏻

[@jonas2431]

@@BenOchart yay thanks

[@opethmike]

I keep mishearing 'egg spot' as 'xbox'

[@jo-e-zinfuso5429]

Can you put sharks with them

[@BenOchart]

No

[@ironicwhitfield8282]

Do they like to travel in packs?

[@BenOchart]

Except for one or two I haven't seen African cichlids school much.

[@dabigmoe]

Are your plants real or artificial in your chiclid tanks

[@BenOchart]

Artificial

[@charlesdavis2891]

That a white Malawi Hawk in there???

[@BenOchart]

Turned out to be a drab female

[@tomanyprojects]

Mine run and hide when they see ne

[@ilikebmx405]

Every peacock has some aggression in them. Like you said, it’s luck of the draw If you want less aggressive African cichlids, non predator haps are the way to go

[@PalJoey-on1yi]

I wouldn't mix multiples of Peacocks or Haps in a tank. It just ends up looking like a circus and sacrifices appreciation of group identity, behavior, color and pattern. I'd install a breeding group of some really exceptional specimens of a species I love. And for variety in the tank I'd use a group of Tanganyikans such as leleupi or perhaps some small Malawi mbuna in a rock work area. Looks more natural and manageable.

[@johnfadds6089]

Well, to each his own...

[@andrewjocar4507]

I was suggested from a source who has breed and sold fish for many years, that I could keep 12-15 peacocks in a 55 gallon tank easily. All males of course. I don’t see where your point is coming here? Why not? Some will say that mbunas are more aggressive, and stick with all peacocks 🤔

[@lisariddle9842]

I have had peacocks and haps successfully in a tank for 6 years. I just had 1 predator hap and one bully OB peacock. I however have had 3 peaceful OB peacocks, several haps and 4 frontosa all live in harmony for years. The only disaster I had was mixing peacocks and mbuna. The mbuna killed many beautiful peacocks before I figured out that they all had to go. I preferred the peacocks/haps and had plenty of room for them in my 150 and 220.