What is a Red Empress cichlid?

The Red Empress cichlid is a tropical freshwater fish endemic to Lake Malawi in East Africa. They are also called the spindle hap or fire blue. They are kept as pets by collectors because fully grown males of this species have bright coloration.

There are several different varieties of the Red Empress cichlid, but in all cases, the males are larger and more colorful than the females. Most color morphs combine bright blue and bright red scales in different areas of the body. For example, the super red color morph has a bright blue head, while the rest of the body is red. "Red Empress" is the name used for the species in general, but it can be used specifically for color morphs with more red than blue.