# New to african cichlids - sexing Melanochromis johanni?



## Pareeeee (Jan 22, 2005)

Here are my 2 Melanochromis johanni - can anyone tell me if I have a pair - or 2 males/females?

I also read that I can plant Crypts with yellow labidos and johanni - is that true? i dont want my plants to be ripped apart or dug up.

also another Q about labs - can males be just plain yellow like the females or do they allways have black ventral fins?

Thanx!

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-2/958091/DSCF5078(Medium).JPG

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-2/958091/DSCF5074(Medium).JPG


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## X-Pande-R (Feb 15, 2005)

hard to tell, but they both look like males to me. As far as plants go, stick to fake ones. :wink:


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## Osiris (Jan 18, 2005)

Hey Gal,

You have a male there, juvie yet. If it were female it would be orange/golden by now.

As far as the labs go, so hard to differ them, you have to vent them which is looking at the little circle under their bellies, if u can take a pic while holding him/her in a net for us and post pics.


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## Pareeeee (Jan 22, 2005)

just took better pics!!!!!!!

<img src='http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-2/958091/ElectricBlue(10)(Medium).JPG' width=800 height=513 >

<img src='http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-2/958091/YellowLabid(6)(Medium).JPG' width=313 height=600 >


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## Lisachromis (Jan 19, 2005)

True M. johannii start off yellow. I suspect what she has is M. cyaneorhabdos (electric blue johanii).


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## Osiris (Jan 18, 2005)

hmm...IMO electric blues look better then the true's..but the true's look meaner then the electrics, either way great lookin mbuna's!


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## Lisachromis (Jan 19, 2005)

I actually prefer the true johanniis looks... 
I also like how easy it is to tell the sexes apart on these. No matter what, I'm sure they are both aggressive. (I've only kept the true ones, not cyaneorhabdos).


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