How do you tell a Mbuna from a peacock?

[thepresence]

This is my stock list (that i'm unsure of)

1 male 1 female Venustus
3 Demasoni
1 male 2 female Kenyi
1 male 2 female lemon jakes

Can someone tell me if these are peacocks or Mbuna and what is the difference? From what i've read you can't mix the 2 in most cases.

 

[Joeygee23]

demasoni & kenyi are mbuna. mbuna literally means "rock" in the native tongue. you will notice they like to hang out in rocks and caves. males and females a usually very colorful though not always and not always identical.

the venustus and peacock are "utaka" or open water fish. they are out in the open more, males a colorful, females drab brown or silver.

 

[Pharaoh]

This is my stock list (that i'm unsure of)

1 male 1 female Venustus
3 Demasoni
1 male 2 female Kenyi
1 male 2 female lemon jakes

Can someone tell me if these are peacocks or Mbuna and what is the difference? From what i've read you can't mix the 2 in most cases.

As state above;

Venustus - open water predators - They are predators, they eat other fish
Predators can be just all around nasty, but they can be OK in some instances

Demasoni & Kenyi - rock dwellers - They eat algae off of rocks
Mbuna are active and aggressive when defending territories

Lemon jake - peacocks - They feed in open waters off of the sand bed.
Peacocks are known for be a little more passive and will most likely be bullied by the two above.

 

[Mokujin22]

Visually, peacocks tend to have more pointed faces and longer fins than mbuna.