# ID Help: Johanni or Maingano?



## Maine_Fish (Apr 7, 2012)

Not aware of the existence of Maingano, I purchased this fish thinking it was a male Electric Blue Johanni. Now, I'm not so sure. The fish is currently about 3" long. Johanni or Maingano? Any tips on telling the difference?


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## kay-bee (Dec 6, 2006)

"Electric Blue Johanni" and the Maingano are the SAME species: (melanochromis cyaneorhabdos, though most recently re-categorized back to the pseudotropheus genus). 

"Electric Blue Johanni" is the common name for this species which in the wild is collected near Maingano, vicinity of Likoma Island in Lake Malawi.

M. cyaneorhabdos (aka 'Electric Blue Johanni', aka "Maingano') is a monomorphic species with both genders being blue/black fish which do not undergo a color transformation.

This species is not to be confused with the Johanni (Melanochromis johanni), which is very similar in appearance but is a dimorphic species (and collected from completely different areas of the lake). 

Both male and female johanni's are born yellowish. The females retain this color but the males undergo a radical color transformation as they mature and become horizontally-striped blue/black fish very similar to the "Electric Blue Johanni".

Matured male johanni's and male and female electric blue johanni's are similar in appearance, with the matured males of each species being near identical. 

Male johanni's and male electric blue johanni's are more vividly colored than female electric blue johanni's. 

The black/blue coloration of male johanni's is can be more distinct or vivid than those of male electric blues (the black is more black, the blue more blue), however due to variation I wouldn't go solely by this. Matured males of either species may be hard to distinguish (though as juveniles they're easy to differentiate because young male johanni's are yellowish).

Your fish looks like a m. cyaneorhabdos (maingano/electric blue) to me. The dark colors below the dorsal fin and above the belly are dark blue/purple than a vivid solid black that is characterized among decent-quality johanni's.

If it was purchased from a species tank and all of the fish in the tank looked like it then that's probably what it is. Johanni species tanks are usually also populated with yellowish females, or the specimens are all yellowish if purchased as juvies.

If you acquired it when it was much smaller and it wasn't yellowish, then it is definately a m. cyaneorhabdos (aka electric blue johanni aka maingano).


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