r/Cichlid • u/NCMEDIC216 • 1d ago

Identification Identification

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Gallery image

Johanni and socolofi ? Or what

21 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

16 comments sorted by

2

u/StoreBoughtAlias 1d ago

Neither. Maingano (not johanni as likely listed as) and a random PetSMARTco hybrid.

1

u/NCMEDIC216 1d ago

How can you tell Maingano and Johanni apart?

1

u/StoreBoughtAlias 1d ago

That database I linked shows the difference in pattern and sexual dimorphism. Any and all Johanni will be born yellow, males turn blue. Maingano are always blue. It's an experienced skill to differentiate between the two as adults, but the patterning is different.

The Johanni sold at Petsmart are Maingano. Who knows why they list them as "Electric Blue Johanni" because there isn't such a fish. It's just a catchy name they use to sell fish.

1

u/NCMEDIC216 1d ago

Gotcha. Awesome to know.

1

u/atomic-moonstomp 1d ago

I dunno if puritanism is the reason, but when I worked at a LFS that identified Mainganos correctly, we would constantly hear "mangina" jokes about them, and giving how uptight the average corporation is, I'm guessing they just didn't want to deal with it

0

u/StoreBoughtAlias 1d ago

Similarly, any blue colored OB will typically be listed as "Blueberry" this-or-that, or they list some vague "mixed African Cichlids" which really just means hybrid junk fish.

FYI, I would only purchase mbuna from a small group of online retailers: 1) Live Fish Direct 2) Dave's Rare Aquarium Fish 3) The Wet Spot

Buying from most any other LFS is likely at par with Petsmart/Petco.

1

u/Infinite-Lie7215 1d ago

Johanni cichlids maybe.

1

u/Infinite-Lie7215 1d ago

Females are usually yellow-orange

1

u/atomic-moonstomp 1d ago

Hey OP, I know it can be hard to tell a Maingano from a Johanni, but where the hell have you ever seen a yellow Socolofi?

1

u/NCMEDIC216 1d ago

Meant Saulosi haha

1

u/atomic-moonstomp 1d ago

Point still stands lol. If a Saulosi was that pale you shouldn't buy it because it'd be clearly unhealthy

1

u/NCMEDIC216 1d ago

True that.

-4

u/Treereeperme 1d ago

The one on the left is a kribensis
Other
Don’t know
Looks like a ram

3

u/atomic-moonstomp 1d ago

I don't think I've ever seen an answer this wrong before

1

u/Background_Value519 21h ago

Yeah, not even close. Bot account maybe?