TankBud

Johanni cichlid

Melanochromis johannii

FreshwaterFish

Johanni cichlid (Melanochromis johannii)
(c) Kaden Slone, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–81°F
23–27°C
pH
7.5–8.5
Adult size
4.7 in
12 cm
Minimum tank
42 gal
160 L
Temperament
Aggressive
Social behavior
Social
Own kind
One male per tank
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Herbivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Mouthbrooder · Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Lake Malawi

Overview

The johanni cichlid is an aggressive mbuna for a rocky Lake Malawi tank. It is best kept by someone with a little experience.

Did you know

A johanni cichlid brood starts out all yellow. Only the males darken to blue as they mature, so you cannot reliably sex juveniles by color.

Caring for the johanni cichlid

Give johanni cichlids a rocky tank of at least 42 gal (160 L). Build it around heavy rockwork with lots of caves over a sand base. The many hiding spots let other fish dodge a dominant male. They work the middle and lower water around the rocks.

Keep the water hard and alkaline, at 73 to 81°F (23 to 27°C) and a pH of 7.5 to 8.5. Feed a quality mbuna or vegetable-based diet. Go light on protein-rich foods, because these algae grazers handle them poorly.

Johanni cichlids are aggressive, so keep only one male per tank. They are fine alone or in a group. Choose tank mates with caution, sticking to other robust mbuna, and crowd the rockwork to spread the aggression around.

The sexes differ strongly in color. Males are dark blue with pale blue stripes, while females are bright orange-yellow. It is a maternal mouthbrooder, and the female holds the eggs and fry in her mouth. Breeding them at home is on the harder side.

Good to know

The johanni cichlid, Melanochromis johannii, is a mbuna in the family Cichlidae. It is not considered endangered.

In the wild

The johanni cichlid comes from the rocky shorelines of Lake Malawi, which are full of crevices and caves. That rock gives it both shelter and territory. The lake water is clear, hard and alkaline.

Common questions

What size tank does a johanni cichlid need?

A johanni cichlid needs at least 42 gal (160 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a johanni cichlid need?

A johanni cichlid is comfortable at 73–81°F (23–27°C) with a pH of 7.5–8.5.

What does a johanni cichlid eat?

A johanni cichlid eats a quality mbuna or vegetable-based diet. It is an algae grazer that handles protein-rich foods poorly, so keep those light.

How big does a johanni cichlid get?

An adult johanni cichlid reaches about 4.7 in (12 cm).

How can you tell a male johanni cichlid from a female?

Males are dark blue with pale blue stripes. Females are bright orange-yellow.

How does a johanni cichlid breed?

Johanni cichlids are maternal mouthbrooders, so the female carries the eggs and fry in her mouth. Breeding them at home is on the harder side.

Related species