# Please help with what this fish is :)



## mandy89 (Jan 31, 2010)




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## mr.species44 (Sep 6, 2009)

I would say maybe a mel. Johannii subdominent?


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## mandy89 (Jan 31, 2010)

I hope so!! thats a beautiful fish. 
It almost looks right not as if he has a yellow stomach which throws me off alot


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## mr.species44 (Sep 6, 2009)

Mine dont have a yellow stomache. my auratus do though if it is one they can be nasty little buggers. I have an electric blue one that is only like two to three inches and it doesn hesitate to scrap anything bigger or the same size as him. He wont bother my other dominant male johan which is jus a normal one not an electric blue


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## CoolCichlid (Feb 12, 2010)

Wow, I like the color. Does it glow in the dark?


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## Chromedome52 (Jul 25, 2009)

Looks to me more like a _Labidochromis joanjohnsonae _male. Most photos are of the females, as they are more interesting in appearance, but I think your fish looks like a changing male.


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

Chromedome52 said:


> Looks to me more like a _Labidochromis joanjohnsonae _male. Most photos are of the females, as they are more interesting in appearance, but I think your fish looks like a changing male.


That would be my first guess also


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## etcbrown (Nov 10, 2007)

Chromedome52 said:


> Looks to me more like a _Labidochromis joanjohnsonae _male. Most photos are of the females, as they are more interesting in appearance, but I think your fish looks like a changing male.


 Not so sure it is an *Melanochromis* joanjohnsonae, they don't change to adult male coloration until fairly large as mbuna go and that fish looks pretty small. Also M. joanjohnsonae has a very characteristic underbite.

It looks like it_ could_ be a Psuedotropheus enlongatus ornatus changing to adult male coloration though. Wait until it completes color changing and post another picture. If it doesn't change its likely a hybrid.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

My bet would be Melanochromis joanjohnsonae / Labidochromis joanjohnsonae (or hybrid of such) depending on who you follow.
Undergoing colour change (maybe hormoned to do it early or female been made to look male)
But time will tell I guess.
If hormoned he/she may go backwards to juvenile/female colouration depending I guess on conditions and real sex.

Do not want to use the H word but that may account for the odd (for a joanjohnsonae) mouthshape.

All the best James


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## Chromedome52 (Jul 25, 2009)

I'm about as far from a Malawian expert as you can get, but I knew it wasn't a _johanni_ and the "experts" weren't paying attention. I did not use the H word nor did I rule it out; again, I'm no expert.

etcbrown, A little research suggests that there appears to still be some debate as to which genus _joanjohnsonae _belongs to; CRC lists it under _Labidochromis_ (which was where I had looked for ID), while the Calacademy CoF lists it under _Melanochromis_. But then again, Calacademy CoF says _Maylandia_ is valid, where CRC uses _Metriaclima_. Which of those do you use? :wink:


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Chromedome52 said:


> Maylandia[/i] is valid, where CRC uses _Metriaclima_. Which of those do you use? :wink:


Bit of topic but I went to a BCA lecture on them and the speaker avoided the use of iether and used Pseudotropheus for the whole lot, so hard and confused is the choice and so fed up with the arguments I guess.
I tend to use Metriaclima where I know folk understand that best and Maylandia where folk use that. I have no opinion on which should be used.

As to joanjohnsonae I do not think it fits well in either genus.
I think there was a paper recently (well 2009) on Melanochromis where it is written that joanjohnsonae is not a Melanochromis but the authors were not able to propose a more suitable home for them. Which sadly leaves em without a genus for now I guess? They do not I think fit in Labidochromis or any other current genus.

Exasperatus !!! 

All the best James


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## etcbrown (Nov 10, 2007)

I'm no ichtyologist but here is my opinion (not based on science):

Joanjohnsonae belongs in Melanochromis based upon my observations of them they fight like Melanochromis (tail chasers). And they have attitudes like Melanochromis.

I beleive much of the confusion comes from the very close resemblance of juvenile/female M. joanjohnsonae to Labidochromis textillus. In fact many, many reference pictures for L. textillus are photos of M. joanjohnsonae.

As far as Maylandia goes, that name was never officially described wheras Metriaclima was, so again in my opinion Metriaclima is the valid name even though Maylandia preceded it.

Back to the OP's fish, it could be joanjohnsonae, I am often surprised by what a fish in transitional colors looks like. I've been fooled before.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

The whole system is in need of a review, species by species and genus by genus and published all together or we just get these continual small changes that most folk ignor or find irritating.

Prob is even with the removal of joanjohnsonae, Melonochromis is considered to be polyphyletic so leaving it there for now may well be the best of a bad job (but knowing this will be subject to change) until some new genera are established I guess. The other interpritation is to put it back where it started (As CRC) which is no better.

Interesting observation, on the tail chasing. Only kept em years ago myself and yep seems to agree with what I saw. Not that I know weather it has any bearing on which genus it belongs to.

Maylandia vs Metriaclima.........................no comment.

Mind you if it was ever settled and static those working on it would be out of work so do not hold your breath. :lol:

All the best James


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