Please ID this african cichlid

[slyme]

Hi MFK members,

Can someone tell me what kind of this african cichlid? Male or female?
My thought is johanni, but i got no information about johanni fading or changing color. Ive only got information about auratus that can changing color.
The color is fading blue and the top is yellowish brown or something.
length 6-7cm, first i got only 2-3cm

Thank you

 

[james99]

Some type of melanochromis, but doesn't like anyone I've ever seen. Maybe a mix?

 

[slyme]

From the first time i got him it was shining blue like other johanni, but he was change to this at least about 5months i think.

 

[RD.]

What was it purchased as?

 

[twentyleagues]

Quite a few Africans change color as they mature.

 

[slyme]

What was it purchased as?

The store says johanii cichlid

Quite a few Africans change color as they mature.

Ive heard about african can change, but in this case change to an ugly look haha

Anyway i fed them hikari bio gold and hikari cichlid excel mix them. Now i try okiko pellet for flowerhorn.
I try change the decorations, water changes, different diets, and now move to bigger tank. And guess what...same haha

 

[RD.]

The two most common Melanochromis sold in the hobby are johanni, and cyaneorhabdos - and yours looks like neither. At almost 3" IME even a sub dominant male would not look like that.

 

[slyme]

The two most common Melanochromis sold in the hobby are johanni, and cyaneorhabdos - and yours looks like neither. At almost 3" IME even a sub dominant male would not look like that.

Should i wait and see until he got 3"
Sometimes looks blue sometimes yellowish and sometimes upperbody blue and bottom yellow.
And this thing is so aggresive, he can compete the other big fish in my tank

 

[twentyleagues]

Could it be a changing auratus? Sounds aggressive like one. The pic could be a poorly colored one in mid change? Females and sub adult males are yellow with black stripes adult males are blue with black stripes.

 

[Milingu]

Is he beeing dominated by other fish?
A lot of non dominant Mbuna males try to look like a female so they are not being attacked by the alpha male