I have a jet black Johanna pike. It is black all over. You can barely see the black stripe on it because the whole body and face is black. Do you think this fish is worth more than the regular Johanna pikes?
Sounds like stress to me. Saying that you bought it that way isn't really justifying his color because I've bought fish from LFS all the time that are stressed.
My Johanna is dark most of the time, not black but close. Is one section of his mid-torso lighter in a little circle?
Mine is dark because of stress. Even if he goes most of the day acting mellow, he still does not like the datnoid in the tank andstays dark because of it.
I did not buy it from a LFS. I bought if from another person. He had it for 2.5 years. He showed my pics and it was an all black pike and he did not know it was a Johanna. I had it for a month and a half. He is eating pellets and everything all the time. He is not being picked on by other fishes. He is still jet black.
But you know, I am not here to argue. Think what you like.