# Johanni Female Color Problem



## CrackBack (Jul 9, 2009)

I recently received an order from an online source consisting of five 2-3 inch fish, 2 males and 3 females. This fish arrived alright, had a small case of ick the next day, but it has been treated and the fish are looking very healthy with virtually no white sports on them anymore. They get along well so far with little to no chasing/aggression.

ANYWAY, the fish were listed as "Electric Blue Johanni/Melanochromis Johanni" and described the males as blue and females as yellow orange. The male's coloring is great (maybe not as "electric" as possible, but still very nice). However, the females are sort of a tan color with darker tan to dark brown vertical stripes. This is very troubling because the reason I purchased the johanni was the color of the females and wanted some yellow in my tank. If I knew they'd look this drab I would have probably chose some Saulosi instead.

So, do you think the female's lack of color is a result from stress/ick? Do you I may have received a different species? Product of interbreeding? The males look like legitimate Melanochromis Johanni, but the females just don't look like any of the Melanochromis species, not auratus (stripes are lighter and slightly different position on the body), not interruptus, nothing for sure.

Does anyone have any idea what's going on here? Any possibility they gain some yellow after settling in and eating some beta carotene rich or color enhancing foods? Any help or advice on this greatly appreciated. Thanks.


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

You said the female's stripes are vertical? Did you mean horizontal?

Are their bodies the same shape? In other words, are they both long and slender?

You might have gotten a different species or they might just need a little time for their colors to really stand out. My mainganos were kind of drab for a few weeks when I first got them and then they got really bright.


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## CrackBack (Jul 9, 2009)

Oops, sorry I meant horizontal. Yes, they are the same shape as the males, definitely look like a melanochromis species, but not like any johanni, or really anything else of seen or searched for. I would post a picture, but I'm honestly not sure how.

So you think it's possible that they get some more color?


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

I'm a bit concerned that they were classified as "electric blue johanni/Melanochromis johanni", and you should be, too. These are two different species.

"Electric blue johanni" is a common name, not used for true johanni at all. They are Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos (Maingano). Both male and female are blue...No yellow at all...

Melanochromis johanni are true johanni. Females are a nice deep yellow as adults.

Dark coloured female johanni may be male johanni.

It's increasingly hard to find either of these species as true species. When you mix up the names like that, it makes things even more difficult.

I would have alot of questions for the seller. :-?

If you're seeing any yellow at all, or anything other than blue striped fish (horizontal of course) then they aren't "electric blue johanni". But by them using these two names, you may have a cross of the two.


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## CrackBack (Jul 9, 2009)

I wrote a query to the online source about the color problem and here is their reply:



> Good morning,
> 
> The color you are describing in females is found in more mature fish, and also varies from fish to fish on intensity. The males and females here are housed together, and yours were pulled from the same aquarium.


Now I was under the impression that the females retain their color for life, if not intensify as they grow older. My current females are not dark, just a really pale tan and not yellow at all.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

I have edited your post to remove the name of the vendor. Please refrain from posting things like this...If you decide you're dissatisfied with their service, you can do a review on them in our review section to let others know your experience!

How large are these fish?

"Tan" is not normal. Stressed females or subdominant males (or males in the process of changing colour to their male colouration) will take on what I would describe as a 'dirty' appearance, but there should still be signs of yellow pigmentation.

Can you post some pics of these fish?


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## CrackBack (Jul 9, 2009)

Here are photos, males and females:


















































Hope I did that right. What do you think?


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

try again :wink: just copy the image link photobucket gives u and paste it right here the pic should pop up in the thread.


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## kme38 (Sep 9, 2008)

If it helps, here is a picture of my female Johanni's so you can compare. The picture is not actually that great as they were in the background of another fish I was taking a picture of. You can see the horizontal bars on her if you look more closely, but they clearly have the yellow as Cichlidaholic states, although it is not as broght as say the Yellow Labs. If you woul like a phot of my male let me know :thumb:


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Honestly, I know this is not what you want to hear, but I highly doubt those are pure johanni under any circumstances.

The male looks to be mixed with something - possibly Melanochromis interruptus (also have yellow/orange females) or even a Ps. Msobo (again, yellow/orange females)...

The "male johanni" just doesn't look right at all. And who knows what the "females" are...It's possible that they're still very stressed or subdominant males, but if they all came from the same tank they're all suspect.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

How large are these fish?

They don't look "mature" to me in size, as the seller indicated in his/her response to you...


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## CrackBack (Jul 9, 2009)

Here are the photos again. Sorry they're not the greatest quality.


















































kme38, yeah those pictures are great, thanks. And they help solidify the fact that there is something wrong with my females. Posting a picture of the male would be great as it seems I have an issue with them too.

cichlidaholic, the females are between 2-2 1/2 inches and the males are between 2 1/2-3 inches. Will being immature fish really affect their color that much? I thought they had color from birth. I didn't think there was definitely something off with the males, but I had my suspicions. Thanks.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

I was able to see the pics before by copying and pasting the links you provided.

I still stand by my last post regarding these fish. Something isn't quite right.

The bad news is that it's not unusual with these species. It's becoming increasingly difficult to find nice ones.

I'm just not convinced these are pure johanni at all. That's not to say that the breeding went wrong with the person you got them from - it could be even further back. I just don't see the markings on that male ever cleaning up and looking as they should.


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## kme38 (Sep 9, 2008)

Male Johanni as requested :thumb:










this is actually the parent fish to the one's pictured earlier. Probably my favorites in the tank, I love these fish, and they are really tame, always first to the glass!! 

I agree with Cichlidaholic though, doesnt look ike you have pure Johanni to me :?

Your males are not a million miles off and are still attractive though.


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