最初命名為 Pseudotropheus estherae:
ZooBank:895B04FC-3377-447B-9748-4F84A32D8811.
- Konings, Ad. 1995. "Description of Pseudotropheus estherae sp. nov., the well-known red zebra cichlid from Lake Malawi". Tropical Fish Hobbyist Magazine. 206-210 (crc00050)
保育: Metriaclima estherae 被評鑑為國際自然保育聯盟瀕危物種紅皮書名單中的 (LC) 無危 (2018). Since M. estherae lives in rocky environments it is unlikely to be overfished by fishermen dragging nets. Besides that fact, the Red Zebra has a rather wide distribution, many of the populations far away from fishing villages.