# Sciaenochromis ahli, electric blue iceberg hap? Fryeri?



## k7gixxerguy (Jan 12, 2012)

Ok I have a couple questions here. What is the difference between the ahli and the fryeri or are they one in the same? I have seven yellow labs and four rusties as well as now a male and a female iceberg electric blue hap. These are in a 67 gallon tank that is 48 by 18 by 18. The haps are significantly larger than the mbuna by around double the size. When I feed them, the haps arent nearly as aggressive and dont get anywhere near what the other fish do. They definitely get a few of the nls 1mm pellets each at each feeding. They rule the tank otherwise though but I am concerned about their growth with eating so little. I will be getting one or two more females for the blue depending on what everyone thinks would be better. 1m:2f or 3f? The largest lab is probably about 2.75", the largest rustie maybe 2.375" and the male blue is around 4.5" I know that this tank will likely be a bit small for the long run for haps of this size, but luckily, my work cuts glass and there are lots of scraps that could be made creatively into say 72" piece cutoffs. I had been told when I bought the blues that they would only get to around 6", but that appears to be incorrect. Is there anything else that you would recommend feeding as a supplement to the nls pellets?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

k7gixxerguy said:


> What is the difference between the ahli and the fryeri or are they one in the same?


fryeri is the correct name, often sold as ahli. Ahli is a different fish, but really not available in the hobby.



k7gixxerguy said:


> When I feed them, the haps arent nearly as aggressive and dont get anywhere near what the other fish do.


To be expected with mbuna and haps.



k7gixxerguy said:


> what everyone thinks would be better. 1m:2f or 3f?


Three females.



k7gixxerguy said:


> Is there anything else that you would recommend feeding as a supplement to the nls pellets?


No, it is not an issue of the feed but rather the aggressiveness of the fish.


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## k7gixxerguy (Jan 12, 2012)

k7gixxerguy said:


> uot;]Is there anything else that you would recommend feeding as a supplement to the nls pellets?


No, it is not an issue of the feed but rather the aggressiveness of the fish.[/quote]

Thanks DJ. I wasnt intending the last question to mean for the haps to get more via being a different type of food, but more of, would their health benefit from being supplemented with something else. This goes for the combination of all types that are in my tank. I know some people do the peas, lettuce, and other odd tidbits or different prepared foods. Im sure my girl would love to make them a small salad for dinner too when they are big enough to go there. lol
I've been anxiously awaiting the first spawn too. I do a 25-30% water change every 5-7 days and my nitrates are typically between 10-20ppm. I'm guessing that the rusties and labs are both mature enough now but have concern that I may have three male rusties now as they color more. Two had egg spots when I got them and the big guy does keep the second one, which is growing very quickly, at bay, but it is now almost the same size as the definite male. It is not showing bluish purple on its sides though. I figured this may be a dominance thing though whether it shows it. Would that be the case? Also my smallest on has developed a solid egg spot as well but is still small and drab. I know the egg spot thing isnt a set in stone rule and I likely wont know until one is chewing bubble gum. I only have had them for 3 weeks to the day, although it seems like two months now. On a related note, my girl was teasing me last night knowing that I want to see some action in the tank. I got her a 6.6 setup for valentines to start a nano tank. We got more plants and 3 cherry shrimp last friday when I got my haps and syno. She lost one the other day which was carrying and low and behold she spots about 7 babies last night riding on a plant.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

They will do fine on NLS alone but if they are not doing well its because of the mix of fish in what is a small tank for breeding S.fryeri.

I have enough problems breeding em in a 72"x24"x24" without many Mbuna.
Yes 3 females per male is far better than two. Prob more females than this is better if you can get them.
For some reason those for sale seem to be very male heavy. I hear lots of reasons for this (inc fry cannibalism males growing faster than females and eating them) but dunno if any are true.

All the best James


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## k7gixxerguy (Jan 12, 2012)

24Tropheus said:


> They will do fine on NLS alone but if they are not doing well its because of the mix of fish in what is a small tank for breeding S.fryeri.
> 
> I have enough problems breeding em in a 72"x24"x24" without many Mbuna.


They are doing fine at the moment. I was more concerned with down the road as the mbuna get larger. The blue is definitely king of the tank right now displaying very well and keeping the lil guys in check. He just doesnt fly around like the mbuna do, so maybe he doesnt need as much food to flourish like the labs and rusties that look like crazy ankle biting dogs in comparison.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

The problem is not the male. He is usually fine and can dominate relatively small peaceful Mbuna. Its the far smaller females. These have to put up with his aggression and breeding attemtpts plus the Mbuna boisterousness. It can in the long term prove too much for them.

All the best James


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## k7gixxerguy (Jan 12, 2012)

Sorry for the quality of the pics, they are just off my Iphone.
Here are a couple for size reference between the rusties, labs and the fryeri. They all seem very healthy. The only one appearance wise that bothers me a little is the female fryeri due to her belly, but she is getting more food on average than the male. So I am guessing the little bit of concave she has will flatten out in the next couple of weeks. 
































Is this syno a lucipinnus? I was told it was a petricola but upon further reading, it seems that they are much more rare to buy and seem to have smaller spots on the face.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

k7gixxerguy said:


> would their health benefit from being supplemented with something else


Feeding a quality staple food is all the fish need for their health. Feeding veges, etc. is more for the fun of the fishkeeper than for fish health. :thumb:

It can take a year for new fish to settle into a new tank enough to spawn...better to relax and enjoy the fish as they are now. When the fry start, you will get more than enough!


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Yep think Synodontis lucipinnis (AKA dwarf Petricola). And your fish look in great condition. :thumb:
Yep that female S.fryeri does look a bit skinny but then so do mine. As soon as they put on any mass they go and breed  . Yep I think iether remove her or get more females.

All the best James


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## k7gixxerguy (Jan 12, 2012)

24Tropheus said:


> Yep think Synodontis lucipinnis (AKA dwarf Petricola). And your fish look in great condition. :thumb:
> Yep that female S.fryeri does look a bit skinny but then so do mine. As soon as they put on any mass they go and breed  . Yep I think iether remove her or get more females.
> 
> All the best James


Next weekend I will be getting two more females. When I bought them it was supposed to be the 1m:2f group together but the other female was missing from the tank. They ordered me two more but they are about an hour away. I figured it would take about a week for them to get them in and another week for them to settle down after shipping wouldnt be a bad idea either.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

k7gixxerguy said:


> 24Tropheus said:
> 
> 
> > Yep think Synodontis lucipinnis (AKA dwarf Petricola). And your fish look in great condition. :thumb:
> ...


WOW wish it was that easy to get females here in the UK.
I am going to trade a female WC Altolamprologs calvus (Congo Black Pearl) to get hold of 3 more adult breeding female S.fryeri.

All the best James


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## k7gixxerguy (Jan 12, 2012)

DJRansome said:


> k7gixxerguy said:
> 
> 
> > would their health benefit from being supplemented with something else
> ...


Gotcha. Sometimes you dont know where to listen. My shop that I have been dealing with has what appears to be very good stock as anything else around here is the land of mixed africans tanks and they do a good bit of their own breeding but they have been off on a few things. Namely the size of the electric blues when full grown and telling me that the labs will likely be holding within two weeks if the water quality is there and they are comfortable. Now I know that I should just sit back and wait, I will do just that. DJ, you have been spot on on all your responses to me and patient with a newb. Thank you. All others, I thank you as well. This is very rewarding and I am glad that I have taken it on. On another note, my girl has a small ball python that was watching the fish the other night while I was holding him. He looked like he was watching tennis watching the labs and rusties go. It was so funny to see a snake do that. You all know how they get when you get near the tank. Gimme food, gimme food now!!!!


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Sometimes they spawn in the bag on the way home, but IME that is the exception and not the rule.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

My recommendation is to get as many females as you can. The pressure the male puts on them is pretty heavy. Rarely does this result in death, but they just don't seem to last long in smaller groups.... 3-4 years and then they start to thin up and only last another year or so. The larger the group, the healthier.


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## lilcountrygal (Dec 27, 2011)

k7gixxerguy said:


> 24Tropheus said:
> 
> 
> > Yep think Synodontis lucipinnis (AKA dwarf Petricola). And your fish look in great condition. :thumb:
> ...


Can you PM me where you get your fish? I'm relatively close to Pittsburgh. The best thing I've come across is Elmers. If there is another option close to The 'burgh, Id love to know!


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