[bigstorm]

See the link below to a pic of my new White Knight Ahli. I am looking for some info on them as there isnt much on this site about them. Are they a hybrid, cross or line bred? Either way, this pic doesnt do him justice, his entire body is an irredensent blue and contrasts very well with the black sand in my tank

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a208/ ... 0_4035.jpg

 

[grail63]

I have seen Sciaenochromis fryeri albino which are not hybrids but true albino but they also have the redish pink eye like many other albino animals show. From your picture though yours does not seem to have the attribute. This could be due to hybridization or line breed for this specific coloration. It would be realy hard to say. I would talk to the lfs or breader where you got the fish from to see if they could relay any info to you.

 

[chapman76]

As far as I know the White Knight is a hybrid. It's a nice fish, but like Albino Taiwan Reefs, they're thought to be hybrids.

Just because they have a pink eye doesn't make them a pure form. My ATR has a pink/red eye. As far as I know, they're a hybrid though. I have seen no proof that either the White Knight or ATRs are pure fish.

 

[TheeMon]

wow that pic makes that fish look stunning

 

[Fogelhund]

I have seen Sciaenochromis fryeri albino which are not hybrids but true albino but they also have the redish pink eye like many other albino animals show. From your picture though yours does not seem to have the attribute. This could be due to hybridization or line breed for this specific coloration. It would be realy hard to say. I would talk to the lfs or breader where you got the fish from to see if they could relay any info to you.

I believe that the fryeri albinos are hybrids as well. They've been around for several decades now... so it is impossible to trace the lineage back. I bred some albino fryeri back in the late 80's, and ended up with some Peacock looking, non albino fry out of them.

 

[grail63]

I believe that the fryeri albinos are hybrids as well. They've been around for several decades now... so it is impossible to trace the lineage back. I bred some albino fryeri back in the late 80's, and ended up with some Peacock looking, non albino fry out of them.

One of my breaders that I frequent has them. When I asked if they where hybrids he said no that these where naturaly accuring albino varity of fryeri that had been line breed to produce the varient. They looked like these

to me the body shape looks like fryeri. I have never owned any myself. maybe the white knight is a different variety? I do know that most every species can have a natural occuring albino varient. Rare though it may be.

 

[Fogelhund]

One of my breaders that I frequent has them. When I asked if they where hybrids he said no that these where naturaly accuring albino varity of fryeri that had been line breed to produce the varient.

That's what I thought too... until my "pure" albino fryeri started producing "Peacock" babies. Unless someone has a real claim, of producing albino's from Wild caught specimens, or fish with 100% known Wild lineage, I cannot believe that the albino fryeri are anything but the descendants of the hybrids available in the 80's. These, and their albino "siblings" managed to be very widely distributed throughout the hobby.

I have pictures of these fish, and they certainly didn't look any different than regular fryeri either.

 

[grail63]

That's what I thought too... until my "pure" albino fryeri started producing "Peacock" babies. Unless someone has a real claim, of producing albino's from Wild caught specimens, or fish with 100% known Wild lineage, I cannot believe that the albino fryeri are anything but the descendants of the hybrids available in the 80's. These, and their albino "siblings" managed to be very widely distributed throughout the hobby.

I have pictures of these fish, and they certainly didn't look any different than regular fryeri either.

This is why I stayed away from them. The hobbiest in me said "wow these fish are gorgeous I should get some" while the purist in me had some doubt about their lineage. I did not ask the breader as to where he got the fish. This is why I won't buy any albino varient. I did have some non albino Cyprichromis produce some albino fry once which was cool. They did not live very long though unfortunately.

 

[bigstorm]

So, i gather that these are hybrid/cross bred. I have no problem with that. I actually got it from a very reputable breeder close to me. He has won many awards and i think this is a great looking cichlid. Thanks for the info, now i see why there isnt much info on this site about them.

 

[Fogelhund]

Fundamentally, there is nothing wrong with keeping, breeding or selling hybrids, at least of commercially known strains. By this, I suggest the OB Peacock, OB fryeri, Eureka Peacocks etc...

The problem that I have, is when people breed these fish with normal strains... such as an albino fryeri, to a regular fryeri. Let's suppose they are all normal looking, and someone sells them to the stores.. well they are hybrid fry, but who is to know? Hybrids are part of the hobby, and there will likely be more Ornamentalization than less as time goes by, but please ensure that these Hybrid strains are kept "pure", in that they only breed with themselves, as opposed to the actual pure fish.

That is where I have issue with albino siblings, more than a likely hybrid albino specimen itself. The albino sibling is never going to be questioned, while the albino itself cannot be mistaken for anything but what it is.

 

[bigstorm]

I dont breed any fish, only 2 show tanks for me

 

[Fogelhund]

I dont breed any fish, only 2 show tanks for me

When that's the case, all you want is pretty ornamental fish. If your not a purist, who cares if the fish is a pure strain, wild, or anything else... as long as it is pretty, and if you get a nice one, they are attractive fish.

 

[bossfish]

sorry to bump an old thread but I wanted to share a couple of stories I have heard about the albino fryeri. before I do Though I actually saw the fish in the upper photo several years ago and the picture does not even come close to showing the amazing color of that fish. It had a lot more blue than showed up in the picture.

According to "legend" the last picture was actually taken on a boat in lake malawi. There is a larger version of that picture that shows the side of the boat and some of the water but it also has the name of the photagrapher so the water was removed when someone edited the photo. I've also seen another picture of an albino Fryeri that was supposedly taken at lake malawi imediately after capture. the fish in the second picture is actually being held by what apears to be a native diver which in my opinion makes it a little more credible than the first. Both pictures could be hoaxes but I hope not.

I also heard that someone had them about 20 years ago and they were stolen and reapeared about ten years later in the hobby. Trickling in from untraceable sources to protect the thiefs identity. I don't know any of this is actually true but I've heard both stories from multiple sources who I believe are telling the story as they had heard it.

 

[chapman76]

I'll never believe it is a pure fish until someone credible shows me a picture of one swimming in Lake Malawi. Not a picture of someone holding one.

The odds of an albino fish making it to adulthood in the wild is almost slim to none I'd imagine.

 

[tirzo13]

the odds of ANY fish making it to adulthood are slim, let alone albino.

Over the lifetime of a female fish in the lake she will only have 2 fry make it to adulthood.
Out of all her spawns in her life only 2 will make it to adulthood.

some females may have 10 fry make, but some females will have zero.

does not matter if its a fish that is a substrate spawner having 1000s of babies, or a mouthbooder having much less.
Only 2 will make it.
ever.

so when you understand that, the odds of a albino making it are incredible.
not impossible, because we do see it, just 1 in millions.

Of course once fish make it to an aquarium, the odds are increased.
whereas in the wild a female is lucky if 2 of her fry ever make it to adulthood, in a tank, a female can have 90% of her fry make it.
so with that, we WILL see albino's of species make it, without having to have been derived from another species.
though crossing is the easiest way to do it.

 

[Fogelhund]

I also heard that someone had them about 20 years ago and they were stolen and reapeared about ten years later in the hobby.

This partially true. They were in the hobby 20 years ago. My experiences as per above were from that time. They could not have been stolen, as they were owned by quite a few hobbyists.

 

[Number6]

I'm pretty sure I saw one on the grassy knoll...

 

[bossfish]

"The odds of an albino fish making it to adulthood in the wild is almost slim to none I'd imagine."

True but it does happen. there is an issue of cichlid news where a wild albino cichlid was caught on a collecting trip to Cuatro cinenigas in mexico south of Texas. It's not a white knight but it at least proves that the possibility exists for a wild albino to survive.

 

[bossfish]

I think stories like that enrich the hobby. Even if they aren't true they add a sense of mystery and exitement like some sort of mythical fish. I don't know if they really exist in the lake or not but I'd like to think that maybe someday I'll see proof if it exists.

 

[MCKP]

More albinos than ever are being seen in the world today... from bears, to moose, cats and dolphins.......so why not african cichlids??

We have only explored a tiny portion of the worlds creatures.... imagine the 'new' creatures that have yet to be found.... or if they ever will be.... the possibilities are endless.....