Sciaenochromis ahli; Identification

[Pam Chin]

Hi Pam!

You'll be the right one for a question about the identification of a Sciaenochromis sp.

Recently I got a pair of Sciaenochromis the vendor told me it was Sciaenochromis ahli. The female died from tuberculosis two weeks later. Now I have 2 females and 1 male from another breeder, who also told me they were Sciaenochromis ahli. Obviously, it's not the same fish. The blue is a little bit brighter, there is no white front, the last fluke is more blackish then the deep red of my first male. There is some confusion in the descriptions for Sciaenochromis in my books: Maylands picture of Sciaenochromis fryeri fits Konings' Sciaenochromis ahli. Konings doesn't describe a Sciaenochromis fryeri but his "Kande blue" has the same nickname "electric blue" as Mayland's fryeri. To get it even more complicated, Mayland writes that ahli is still not exported whereas Konings shows photos from an aquarium.

So, where can I find some literature?

Thank you

Albert, Bad Nauheim, Germany

[Pam Chin]

Dear Albert,

It is confusing!! I can tell you to look at the following:

• Eccles, D. H., & Trewavas E. (1989) Malawian Cichlid Fishes. The classification of some haplochromine genre. Lake Fish Movies, Herten, Germany
  
  Konings, Ad (1993) The Cichlid Year Book, Volume #3. Cichlid Press, 6837 St. Leon-Rot, Germany
  
  Konings Ad (1995) Malawi Cichlid in Their Natural Habitat. Cichlid Press, 6837 St. Leon-Rot, Germany

It is really hard to say, without actually looking at the fish, but I have talked with reliable sources, reviewed the above and have come to the following conclusion: Sciaenochromis ahli has supposedly never been exported. The fish that we have called ahli all these years is really Sciaenochromis fryeri. Most likely what you have are Sciaenochromis fryeri collected from two different areas in the lake. Blaze in the face, intensity of blue and red in the fins vary from location to location in the Lake Malawi. I hope this helps!