I recently came across an article titled “Breeding of Polar Blue Parrot (Amatitlania nigrofasciata blue): A Unique Freshwater Cichlid. It appears in a publication titled Vigyan Varta, which is published in India and bills itself as an international e-magazine for science enthusiasts.
The article profiles a hybrid cichlid that is a cross of the convict cichlid, Amatitlania nigrofasciata, and a red blood parrot (which is a hybrid itself). In fact, the article does more than profile the new fish. It also promotes it.
The successful breeding and widespread availability of polar blue parrot in India demonstrate the potential for further growth in the ornamental fish industry.
I have a lot of thoughts about this, and most of them are negative. For starters, this is an intentional hybrid, meaning it occurs in captivity and thus is not a naturally occurring hybridization. Second, the article suggests this fish is a new convict species or variant by calling it Amatitlania nigrofasciata blue. Third, the article openly promotes the fish to be part of the ornamental fish trade within India and internationally.
My original impression was that this was some kind of parody, but it’s not.
While I applaud the article’s thoroughness in describing the fish – from water requirements and tank set-up, to breeding requirements – I can’t applaud the intentional breeding and proliferation attempts of a hybrid cichlid. And neither do the biological scientists whom I have interviewed (NOTE: I have not spoken with any previous interviewees about this specific fish. My statement relates to their general opinion on domestic hybridization).
Reference: Padhi, G. R., Ram, R. K., Kumar, P., Mogalekar, H. S. and Banik, A. 2025. “Breeding of Polar Blue Parrot (Amatitlania nigrofasciata blue): A Unique Freshwater Cichlid,” Vigyan Varta 6 (2): 153-157.