# Red Top Lwanda confusion



## Hock (Mar 23, 2012)

*** noticed that alot of ppl, including myself, are confused to exactly what is the "Red Top Lwanda". If you run a Google Image search, you will obviously run across 2 different colored fish:

















Unlike, for example the Lithobate Z-Rock which comes in two different colors yet is labeled under the same species, but is at least distinguished by color morphs like "Yellow Blaze"....the Lwanda is not. It's simply known as the "Red Top Lwanda". And I've never seen them labeled by location to differentiate between the two morphs. Or, is this a case of the fish simply being line bred to bring out more of the orange/red similar to how the Eureka Red came from Otter Point line breeding? Basically what I'm asking is, is there a distinction in the hobby or a name given to separate the two colors yet?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

First know that photographic lighting can make colors look different/better than they are in natural light. I have seen yellow top Lwanda advertized as well as Red Top. In general, fish from different locations can have different colors, and also they can be line-bred to be more yellow or more red.

Konings describes the color as red-orange. There is no indication that I could find that Lwanda from different locations particularly are more red, yellow or orange.


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## audierou (Jul 25, 2012)

FWIW... The first fish look sweet!!


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

Really, I think most are more yellow in the hobby, fish vary, close to a "red top" is probably just an exceptional fish. Maybe the wild fish are darker. Food, while often exaggerated, may be a factor with this fish, carotene may bring out the redder color.

There are many Malawi fish called Red Top, most are not really a real red. It's a common name to sell the fish.


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## Hock (Mar 23, 2012)

Its not a matter of lighting in this case, I've seen both colorations in person, and I've seen wild caught ones that are blue/yellow. And like I said, I havent heard of this fish being line bred for the orange/redish coloration like say the Ruby and German Red were. Theres not even a real species for these fish yet as its just given the sp "Lwanda" title so maybe they are two different species? Has anyone ever seen the orange/redish variant in a wild caught specimen?


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

audierou said:


> FWIW... The first fish look sweet!!


I think they both look pretty awesome.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

There aren't two different species/locations. What you see is either line bred, or non-intentional variability.


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## m1ke715m (Jul 26, 2012)

i would start by saying that calling them yellow or red top is the problem to begin with.. just call them aulonocara sp. lwanda which is their proper name till they can be further studied and identified.. adding a color to the name isnt necessary and would avoid confusion.. i agree with what fogelhund said

heres mine....


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## Astrix (Jan 15, 2017)

Thats quite the eclectic fish mix of tangs to malawi to sa corydoras in that tank...


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