# New Question, Electric Blue Ahli/hap?



## witamygreatdanes (Sep 2, 2012)

Hi. I lost my Electric Blue Ahli the other day and I have been searching for a new one! This has brought up many questions as I have been looking at them and am seeing many different colors that people are saying are the Electric Blue Ahli or Electric Blue Hap. Is the Ahli considered a Peacock cichlid? Are all Haps considered Peacocks. I purchased a breeding group, however, the male does not have a lot of color and his lower fins appear to have yellow tinges... not as much as my acei, but enough to make me question whether or not he is really an electric blue ahli. I am going to take some pix of them today and try to figure out how to post them so maybe someone can tell me if these are, in fact, ahli's or if I need to go to a different forum and find out what they are.  Any info on what an actual Ahli looks like or it's characteristics and if it has other colors would be of great benefit. The one I lost was a completely blue and electric colored with no spots of any kind only the stripes up and down around it's body. These new fish are not nearly as electric looking or deep blue. Oh, I have googled photos and most of them do look like my old Ahli, but sometimes other photos come up with different pix so I am completely confused. I miss my ahli!

Thanks for any help!


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## witamygreatdanes (Sep 2, 2012)

Oh, and for more info. One of the fish I think I purchased was "old blue" from the photo contest, but he doesn't look like that at all!!!


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

"Ahli" is an old trade name. Names used have been "Electric Blue Hap", "Electric Blue Ahli", Scienochromis fryeri (which is the real scientific name)... all the same fish. Look here. Very common fish.
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1333
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1328

Adults males are very shiny blue (probably the most reliably blue Malawi cichlid). Males that are not dominant are not as colorful (they same as most Malawi cichlids)
Females are greyish- brown drab.

One BIG problem is that a lot of fish sold are of poor quality or hybrids, or mislabeled.

Electric Blue Hap is not considered a "Peacock", but may be sold as such by ignorant dealers or those who don't care about particulars. Malawi "Haps" are not considered "Peacocks". Aulonocara species are the so called "Peacocks". There are also hybrid fish called Peacocks which don't have any real name.


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

and here is an article from this site... and yes, the trade names used can get confusing
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/s_fryeri.php


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

A fish that was one colored up and now is not may be acclimating to a new tank or he may no longer be dominant with his new tank mates.

Maybe you are thinking of the fact that all Malawi are haplochromines? Even the mbuna and aulonocara? But the other way around is not correct...fryeri is a hap but not a peacock (or aulonocara).


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## witamygreatdanes (Sep 2, 2012)

Thank you, Thank you! I did not think the Ahli/hap was a peacock... the person I bought one from said peacock which confused me, tho I must admit to being relatively confused all the time about fish at the moment. I just LOVE the Fryeri (Ahli) We actually just named the first one Ahli and it kind of stuck with me.  I don't know how many people actually name their fish!  Everything you guys have said has been very informational! DJRansome; what is the fish in your profile pic!!! It is GORGEOUS!!!


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Pseudotropheus demasoni.


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## witamygreatdanes (Sep 2, 2012)

BEAUTIFUL FISH, DJRansome!!!


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