female M. Johanni?

[nzo]

I have what is supposed to be a female M. Johanni, but it's behaving like a male.
It's digging, driving other fish off etc. It's a mature specimen, 4" long maybe. However, it's not coloured away from orange which I`ve seen before, which leaves me with the question over it even being M.Johanni at all..

Any ideas?

cheers
Ray

 

[ibr3ak]

Looks weird, maybe it's the angle, could you try to take a pic of it from a side?

 

[nzo]

Weird? lol.
OK, no battery, so will post some more pics tomorrow

 

[ibr3ak]

From that angle it looks like a red zebra/yellow lab cross (mouth looks like that of a zebra type), were these grown from your own fry or did you get them at the lfs as juvies?

 

[Pittbull]

It sorta looks like a young Gold Mac.. sometimes young Gold Macs look like saulosi females when young until they turn into nightmares..

 

[Razzo]

I was thinking male kenyi - would explain the agression issues.

Here's the one in my son's turtle tank.

 

[d1anonly22]

its definitely a female m. johanni, believe me the melanochromis are my favorite species of cichlid and thats is a female. check out this pic of a mature female. just look for the mature female pic theres a list of johannis http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=760

 

[efors]

Hi, nzo!
I want to clarify something that appears on your signature, as it seems that you are asking for help: The real M. johanni is a species with blue and black males and orange yellow females. The species commonly known as Electric Blue Johanni or Maingano, is really M. cyaneorhabdos; in this one both, males and females, have almost the same general coloration of the M. johanni males (blue and black/dark color).
About your orange female, as ibr3ak said, a better pic is needed for a correct id; IMO.

 

[blue2fyre]

I just want to add that females can be just as mean as the males. My female M. Greshakei rules my tank. She's taken on very light colors and chases other fish around and she will dig from time to time. She even shimmies in front of new fish or fish that are getting out of line just to show she is boss.

I also agree with the above that more pictures are needed for a correct ID

 

[austinpetemo]

in your pic it almost looks as if shes holding.

also. do you know what kind of P. elongatus you have?