# Confirmation on Malawi i'd please!!



## MrMbuna (Feb 25, 2010)

Can someone please possibly confirm the i'd of these please.

Bought from a mixed tank at a lfs all around 5-6cm.

Sorry the pic's ain't great.



















Many thanks


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## iplaywithemotions (Dec 18, 2008)

The blue one is either a Melanochromis johannii or a Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos (Maingano).

The others are M. Estharae (red zebras).


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## MrMbuna (Feb 25, 2010)

Thanks i was pretty sure they were Red Zebra's, but saw a pic of juvenile johanni which look similar so wasn't sure, still can't confirm the blue one i was thinking either...

Melanochromis johannii or
M. Interruptus

But looking on all of their profiles i'm leaning towards johannii as they seem to be the only one out of the 3 that have horizontal and smaller vertical bars from the pic's.

I'm new to Malawi's so all 3 look very similar to the untrained eye, if they are johanni's then i have 5 males and no females  although all 5 look different, 3 have fairly intense colouring and 2 are paler.

Very confused, all see if i can a few more pics of them all tomorrow and post them.


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## MrMbuna (Feb 25, 2010)

Thanks i was pretty sure they were Red Zebra's, but saw a pic of juvenile johanni which look similar so wasn't sure, still can't confirm the blue one i was thinking either...

Melanochromis johannii or
M. Interruptus

But looking on all of their profiles i'm leaning towards johannii as they seem to be the only one out of the 3 that have horizontal and smaller vertical bars from the pic's.

I'm new to Malawi's so all 3 look very similar to the untrained eye, if they are johanni's then i have 5 males and no females  although all 5 look different, 3 have fairly intense colouring and 2 are paler.

Very confused, all see if i can a few more pics of them all tomorrow and post them.


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## iplaywithemotions (Dec 18, 2008)

Perhaps this will help:



sisonek said:


> Melanochromis interruptus not Melanochromis johannii with M. johannii the horizontal blue lines are solid with M. interruptus the lines are broken up more like dots
> 
> Melanochromis interruptus
> http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... php?id=758
> ...


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## red-eye (Feb 25, 2010)

I think johannii male & females, but would like to see better pics.


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## MrMbuna (Feb 25, 2010)

Ok after taking a few hundred pics these are about the best i can do with the current camera........ not to mention they never stay still 

Ignore the Cobalt in pic 7 i know what he is!!!!


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

These are baffling. The black ones are all a Johanni type. Normal Johanni type have yellow-orange juveniles and the males turn black and black, so you should have many intermediate coloured fish. Some of the males seem to be so called "Electric Blue Johanni" which might be poorly breed Maingano or mixes, but then some could be M. interruptus.

The orange yellow ones could be female Johanni, but then they look kinda different. They are not Red Zebra. If Johanni/Interruptus you should have intermediate fish, males not quite black and blue and females with faint markings.


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## iplaywithemotions (Dec 18, 2008)

Are the orange fish albino? They seem to have red eyes in the photo. Or is it just the "red-eye" effect from the flash?


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## MrMbuna (Feb 25, 2010)

noki said:


> These are baffling. The black ones are all a Johanni type. Normal Johanni type have yellow-orange juveniles and the males turn black and black, so you should have many intermediate coloured fish. Some of the males seem to be so called "Electric Blue Johanni" which might be poorly breed Maingano or mixes, but then some could be M. interruptus.
> 
> The orange yellow ones could be female Johanni, but then they look kinda different. They are not Red Zebra. If Johanni/Interruptus you should have intermediate fish, males not quite black and blue and females with faint markings.


Very baffling it seems, i know i'm totally lost.



iplaywithemotions said:


> Are the orange fish albino? They seem to have red eyes in the photo. Or is it just the "red-eye" effect from the flash?


Hmmmmm, the flash was off but i haven't noticed any red in or around their eye's, the tank lights are off at the minute but i'll double check in the morning!!!


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## sisonek (Sep 8, 2009)

The blue/black fish in 6 and 7 are M. interruptus. The other blue/black ones could be maingano or johannii or they could be young interruptus, what is their size? I have no idea on the yellow if you bought them at the same time and in the same place/tank as the blues ones than I would say that they might be female johannii or interruptus.... but I am not very sure of that. At that size they should still show some barring I would think. Something just seems off about the yellow ones but I cannot put my finger on it.


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## ladybugzcrunch (Jul 26, 2009)

They look a little too orangeish to be female johannii. My female johannii are more on the yellow side. If they are female johannii, they will show horizontal barring when stressed or showing aggression. Also, I know this is not 100% but none of my female (proven) johannii have any eggspots at all. If those were my fish I would either say they are not johannii females at all or are males that have not morphed yet.


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## red-eye (Feb 25, 2010)

I'm looking at the tail of the orange one, and please correct me if I'm wrong, but i believe the female johanni has a solid orange tail fin? unlike those pictured.


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