# Is this an Electric Blue Ahli?



## tintedrosie (Apr 25, 2013)

Hello everyone! This fish was given to me by mistake when I went to buy a blue peacock at my LFS and I just decided to keep him and give him a go. They're really too about trading if need be, so I wasn't too upset. Needless to say, he is kind of a jerk to my peacocks (some of which are bigger than him) so he may need to go eventually, but I am unsure if he is actually Sciaenochromis fryeri (Electric Blue Ahli) or if he is something else.. MAINLY because this "blaze" on his dorsal fin is YELLOW, not white! Is that possible? Thinking maybe he could possibly be a hybrid? I don't know. Either way, I want to know for sure what the heck he is so I can decide what to do with him if he doesn't have an attitude adjustment (haha, yeah right). Thank you in advance!!

(In the background is one of my OB peacocks (don't hate!) and my Yellow regal, both of which are about a whole inch bigger than that little trouble maker!)


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

That one looks more like a Copidichromis azureus, which is a cool blue Hap. Doesn't look like a Fryeri or Aulonocara. Maybe more pics will help see if he is pure. Not sure if I see a yellow blaze, just the tips of the dorsal.

Not sure why he is such a gangsta, they are not that mean, but some fish can be tougher than others.


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## tintedrosie (Apr 25, 2013)

noki said:


> That one looks more like a Copidichromis azureus, which is a cool blue Hap. Doesn't look like a Fryeri or Aulonocara. Maybe more pics will help see if he is pure. Not sure if I see a yellow blaze, just the tips of the dorsal.
> 
> Not sure why he is such a gangsta, they are not that mean, but some fish can be tougher than others.


Yeah, I considered that he might be Copidichromis azureus, but with how much of a jerk he is, I'm thinking he's probably just S. fryeri maybe with a little mix of something else. About an hour after I posted this, I had to separate him from my tank. He has corraled everyone to one side of the tank and if they even try to swim across, he chases them for laps around the tank, nipping, slamming in to them. He's so aggressive! I can't risk losing my other fish (which are hiding) to stress. I've read a bunch about them on the forum and found that this is a common problem with that species, so I think I'm just going to take him back to the LFS and see if I can trade him for the Blue peacock I was originally trying to buy.. hopefully they'll take him, because I don't know what to do with him otherwise! Thanks so much for your reply!


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

The head shape is completely different from Fryeri. Look at the head and mouth. Though he could still be a hybrid. All these types of cichlids can act aggressive, individuals vary.

The problem is throwing colored up adult males into a tank together. It often does start instant war, with one fish trying to show everyone else who is the boss. Often fish can get killed. It is all trial and error, hit or miss. Sometimes people make it sound too simple.


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## Bowfront (Jun 3, 2013)

That is a really beautiful fish. I certainly hope you decide to keep him.

.


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## nmcichlid-aholic (Mar 23, 2011)

Definitely Not S. Fryeri. Not Sure What It Is, Though.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

That dorsal kind of looks too big to have been got without hormoning (could explain the agression too). Maybe waite and see what colours and shape he has it wheres off.
No high hopes of Iding him though. So may unidetifiable hybrids get sold.


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## Chester B (Dec 28, 2012)

This fish most closely resembles Copadichromis azureus except that they have a white band on the dorsal not a yellow. Between that and the non standard barring pattern I think this is a hybrid.


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