(Article) Sciaenochromis fryeri, The Electric Blue Hap

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Sciaenochromis fryeri, The Electric Blue Hap

article by Dave Schumacher

photo by Dave Hansen

Sciaenochromis fryeri was not formally described until 1993, when Ad Konings revised

the entire genus Sciaenochromis in an article for volume 3 of the Cichlid Yearbook. Despite the relatively new description, S. fryeri has been in the hobby for many years. There is still a great deal of confusion amongst hobbyists about the correct name for the fish. To make things even more confusing, most (if not all!) of the names used in the past are names used for other fish as well. The most commonly seen erroneous name is Sciaenochromis (or Haplochromis) ahli, which is the name of another fish in the genus with larger eyes and a pale blue coloration. Another trade name, Haplochromis jacksoni, causes confusion with the fish Copadichromis jacksoni. The common name, Electric Blue, is a name used for Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos, a mbuna from Lake Malawi.

Males of S. fryeri are a brilliant metallic blue color. One aspect that makes this species so popular, is that once a male reaches maturity and colors up, it maintains its color quite well, regardless of whether or not it is displaying for females. Both males and females show dark, vertical bands when stressed or excited. Females are a dark silvery-gray to brown in color.

Sciaenochromis fryeri has a lake-wide distribution with two distinct color forms. Males from the southern populations display a beautiful white blaze on the head, often extending from the tip of the snout all the way to the posterior end of the dorsal fin. In the aquarium hobby, these populations are commonly referred to as "Icebergs." While males from the northern populations typically lack the white blaze, they exhibit a bright red anal fin that is not present in the southern populations.

In the wild, Sciaenochromis fryeri are a true piscavore. They feed almost exclusively on juvenile mbuna and haplochromines. During one of his wonderful presentations, Ad Konings showed a video of an adult male fryeri feeding in the wild. The male swam up to an algae-covered rock that some juvenile mbuna were grazing on. In the presence of the large predator, the mbuna scattered and hid amongst the cracks in nearby rocks. The fryeri then began bobbing up and down above the rock, pretending to graze on the algae! The mbuna fry, apparently not threatened by a large "algae grazer," returned to feed alongside the fryeri. Shortly after, the fryeri darted to the side in an attempt to catch his true prey. This is among the most interesting feeding techniques applied by cichlids of Lake Malawi. Unfortunately, this behavior is not seen in the home aquarium. Instead, fryeri do quite well on a diet of high quality flakes and pellets.

Sciaenochromis fryeri makes a terrific aquarium fish. They are able to tolerate a wide range of water conditions, although hard water with a pH of around 8.0-8.2 is favorable. The temperature should be be somewhere in the range of 74-82 degrees. The most important factor is keeping the levels consistent. Frequent fluctuations of temperature, pH, or hardness is stressful to any fish. Since males can reach an adult size of around seven inches, a large aquarium is a must. In addition, there is a high amount of conspecific aggression, especially between males. Unless the aquarium is very large and/or densely populated, it is best to keep only one male per tank. If breeding is desired, it is best to keep multiple females with each male, as the males can be quite aggressive toward females are aren't ready to spawn. Having additional females helps to take the pressure off of an individual. When kept in pairs, a male will often kill his female.

Given the appropriate water conditions and space requirements, breeding this species is effortless. Most of time, the male will stake out a territory in the back of the tank either on a flat rock, or a flat area of the substrate that he has cleared. In the typical haplochromine fasion, the male will try to lure females into his territory by shaking rapidly and displaying his fins. Once he has succeeded in attracting a female, spawning begins. Although fertilization of the eggs takes place in the mouth of most other haplochromines, Sciaenochromis fryeri actually fertilize the eggs externally, before the female picks them up. The average spawn can be anywhere from 30-60 fry. Females will incubate the eggs for approximately 3 weeks, at which time the fry should be fully developed. Fry should be fed on a diet of crushed flakes, and may be supplemented with some baby brine shrimp or cyclops. They grow quite fast. Juvenile males will start showing color as small as 1.5-2 inches in length.

In an all male tank, Sciaenochromis fryeri may also make a good tankmate. They hold their color very well, even without females present. If they are to be kept with Aulonocara (peacocks), the tank should be large and densely populated, as the fryeri are typically too aggressive in comparison. They can also be kept in a tank of large Malawi haplochromines, and even mbuna without incident.

Overall, Sciaenochromis fryeri is an interesting fish to keep for newcomers to the hobby as well as the most advanced cichlid enthusiasts.