Cichlidae

Multispot Peacock Cichlid

Aulonocara gertrudae

Sandy shores turn rocky north of Ruhuhu

• Tropical
• Regional distribution
• Freshwater fish
• Africa
• Fusiform
• Small
• Tropical fish

Aulonocara gertrudae is a species of haplochromine cichlid which is endemic to Lake Malawi, being found in Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania. The habitat varies between populations, those south of the Ruhuhu River are sand dwellers which exploit the sandy muddy substrates found near river mouths, while those to the north of the Ruhuhu will occupy rocky habitats too. This is thought to be cause there are fewer rock inhabiting congeners north of the Ruhuhu.