Bluegray mbuna
Melanochromis johannii
Parameter dashboard
24-28 °C
7.5-8.6
10 cm
10 years
Care guide
The bluegray mbuna, also sold as the electric blue johanni or black phoenix cichlid, is a colourful rock-dwelling cichlid from Lake Malawi, Africa. The species exhibits striking sexual dimorphism: males develop a deep metallic blue-black body with vivid electric-blue horizontal stripes, while females remain a bright golden-yellow orange with faint darker markings. Adults reach around 10 cm, making them a medium-sized mbuna suitable for dedicated Malawi cichlid setups.
This is an aggressive, highly territorial mbuna that requires ample rockwork with caves and crevices to establish territories and break lines of sight. A harem group of one male with at least three females is recommended — only one male should be kept per tank. Minimum tank size is 120 litres with powerful filtration to handle the heavy bioload. Despite being an mbuna, this species is best maintained in a species-specific setup or with other robust, similarly-sized Malawi cichlids rather than in a general community aquarium. The diet must be herbivore-oriented with high vegetable content and spirulina-based foods — high-protein diets cause potentially fatal Malawi bloat.
Water conditions must be hard and alkaline: pH 7.5-8.6, temperature 24-28°C, with high carbonate hardness replicating the mineral-rich conditions of Lake Malawi. Regular partial water changes of 20-30% weekly are essential for health. The species is a maternal mouthbrooder: the female incubates eggs in her mouth for approximately three weeks before releasing free-swimming fry. Its stunning colouration, active behaviour, and intriguing social structure make the bluegray mbuna a rewarding choice for experienced cichlid keepers ready to meet its specialised water chemistry and dietary requirements.
Sources
- fishbase.de — https://www.fishbase.de/summary/Melanochromis-johannii.html
- aquainfo.nl — https://aquainfo.nl/en/article/pseudotropheus-johannii-electric-blue-johanni/
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Tankmate compatibility (sample)
Pairwise screening against other species in the database (prioritizing the same family when data is available).
Review first (12)
Caution or avoid from automated rules — confirm before mixing.
| Species | Assessment | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Electric blue ram Mikrogeophagus ramirezi var. Caution | Caution | Fish 2x+ larger may eat smaller tankmates · Species with non-overlapping pH ranges may not thrive together · close relatives, and one of them is territorial, so both claim the same kind of space Open pair in Compare → |
| Greenstreaked eartheater Biotodoma cupido Caution | Caution | Species with non-overlapping pH ranges may not thrive together · close relatives, and one of them is territorial, so both claim the same kind of space Open pair in Compare → |
| Leleupi Cichlid Neolamprologus leleupi Caution | Caution | close relatives, and one of them is territorial, so both claim the same kind of space Open pair in Compare → |
| Livingstonii Cichlid Nimbochromis livingstonii Caution | Caution | Fish 2x+ larger may eat smaller tankmates · close relatives, and one of them is territorial, so both claim the same kind of space Open pair in Compare → |
| Multies Neolamprologus multifasciatus Caution | Caution | Fish 2x+ larger may eat smaller tankmates · close relatives, and one of them is territorial, so both claim the same kind of space Open pair in Compare → |
| Panda Uaru Uaru fernandezyepezi Caution | Caution | Species with non-overlapping pH ranges may not thrive together · the two share only a narrow band of temperature, so one of them sits at the edge of its range · close relatives, and one of them is territorial, so both claim the same kind of space Open pair in Compare → |
| Pearly calvus Altolamprologus calvus Caution | Caution | Multiple territorial species in the same swim layer cause stress · close relatives, and one of them is territorial, so both claim the same kind of space Open pair in Compare → |
| Rio Grande cichlid Herichthys cyanoguttatus Caution | Caution | Fish 2x+ larger may eat smaller tankmates · Species with non-overlapping pH ranges may not thrive together · close relatives, and one of them is territorial, so both claim the same kind of space Open pair in Compare → |
| Yellow belly cichlid Cichlasoma salvini Caution | Caution | close relatives, and one of them is territorial, so both claim the same kind of space Open pair in Compare → |
| Green terror Andinoacara rivulatus Avoid | Avoid | Fish 2x+ larger may eat smaller tankmates · Species with non-overlapping temperature ranges cannot coexist · the two share only a narrow band of temperature, so one of them sits at the edge of its range · close relatives, and one of them is territorial, so both claim the same kind of space Open pair in Compare → |
| Mendezs Dwarf Cichlid Apistogramma mendezi Avoid | Avoid | Fin nippers should not be kept with long-finned species · Multiple territorial species in the same swim layer cause stress · Species with non-overlapping pH ranges may not thrive together · close relatives, and one of them is territorial, so both claim the same kind of space Open pair in Compare → |
| Princess of Burundi Neolamprologus brichardi Avoid | Avoid | Fin nippers should not be kept with long-finned species · close relatives, and one of them is territorial, so both claim the same kind of space Open pair in Compare → |
Same rule engine as Compare. Not a substitute for observation, tank size, or acclimation.
Related species
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