Ernie, you are the one that needs to do a little more research. I've had conversations with Sam Borstien, Dr. Eric Hanneman, Rusty Wessel, and Ken Davis (do a Google search if you don't know who they are) about HRP's (and a variety of other fish that were collected by these gentlemen and introduced into the hobby) and all believe that HRP's are a separate species. In fact, the convict group has recently been broken into 4 separate species, and it is likely that there are more. I've personnally kept more than 6 different wild type convicts in addition to a number of other cryptoheros, and I can see differences in the fish from a physical and behavioral perspective (which I understand doesn't make them a different species, genetics does). Jeff Rapps does not think HRP's are a color variation of convicts based on how he lists them by scientific name on his price list. Not sure what other "big breeders" you speak of, but I have not come across them.
Get your facts straight before you put out more incorrect information.