Melanochromis johannii

Melanochromis johannii
Melanochromis johannii
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Cichlidae
Subfamily: Pseudocrenilabrinae
Genus: Melanochromis
Trewavas, 1935[1]
Species: M. johannii
Binomial name
Melanochromis johannii
Eccles, 1973[verification needed][2]

Melanochromis johannii, is a freshwater fish from the family Cichlidae.[3] The species is endemic to littoral zones on the east, Mozambique coastline of Lake Malawi, south of Chuanga.[3][4] The species is popular in the fishkeeping hobby and is frequently kept in cichlid aquariums.[5][6] In the aquarium trade, the fish is frequently known as the bluegray mbuna or electric blue johanni.[3][6]

The species is highly sexually dimorphic. Females and juveniles are yellow. The coloration of males is a combination of blue to purple and black, with one blue line running across the forehead, over the top of the eye and along the body above the mid-line, a second line appears below the mid-line.[7]

Contents

Aquarium Life

This fish is an African Cichlid and prefers fresh water alkaline water with the PH of 7 to 9. It is a tropical fish and lives in temperatures from 22-28 degrees Celsius. The hardness of the water should be from 10-20. They are very aggressive and should only be kept with other similarly aggressive African cichlids, with one male to two or more females. It is not recommended to keep more than one male in the same tank, unless it is a large tank with lots of hiding places.

Images of M. johanni

  • M. johannii male

  • M. johannii female

See also

References

  1. ^ Trewavas E (1935) A synopsis of the cichlid fishes of Lake Nyasa. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 65-118
  2. ^ Eccles DH (1973) Two new species of cichlid fishes from Lake Malawi (formerly known as Lake Nyasa). Arnoldia (Rhod.) 1-7
  3. ^ a b c Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors.. "Melanochromis johannii, Bluegray mbuna". FishBase. http://filaman.uni-kiel.de/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=2346. Retrieved 2007-04-29. 
  4. ^ Konings A (2001) Malaŵi cichlids in their natural habitat 3rd Edn. Cichlid Press. USA. ISBN 0-9668255-3-5
  5. ^ Konings A (1997) Back to nature guide to Laek Malawi cichlids Druckhaus Beltz, Germany. ISBN 3-9805605-3-8
  6. ^ a b Riehl, Rüdiger. Editor.; Baensch, HA (1996. 5th Edn.). Aquarium Atlas. Germany: Tetra Press. ISBN 3-88244-050-3. 
  7. ^ Mills, Dick (1993). Aquarium Fish. London136: Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 1-56458-294-9. 


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