Aquarist Atlas
↑ Collection form of Placidochromis johnstoni

Placidochromis johnstoni "Monkey Bay"

Monkey Bay — MUNK-ee BAY (approx.)

The fish

How this cichlid is built, and everything about how it lives, eats and breeds, is shared with the species — this page doesn't repeat it.

Read the full Placidochromis johnstoni account →

Specific to Monkey Bay

  • Collection locality & coordinates
  • Local coloration — best judged from the living-fish photo
  • Kept as a single-provenance line, never crossed with other collection points

Care facts below are the species' — shared with Placidochromis johnstoni.

IUCNLEAST CONCERN · 2018
CARESNOT LISTED
Scientific size7.9 in20 cm total length
Temperature75–82 °F24–28 °C
pH7.7–8.8alkaline
Depth0–52 ft0–16 m
DietInvertivore/predator (follows foragers for disturbed prey)
BreedingMaternal mouthbrooderup to ~120 eggs
Sexual dimorphismYesDominant breeding males turn metallic blue-turquoise with darker bars and yellow/orange fin edging; females and subordinate males stay silvery-tan. Coloration is socially gated — only the top male in a group shows full breeding dress.
PhotographsSee photosGoogle Images →

The Monkey Bay population

Placidochromis johnstoni "Monkey Bay" is the Monkey Bay population of Placidochromis johnstoni, a geographic colour form from the Malawi coast of Lake Malawi in the southern part of the lake. It is the same species as Placidochromis johnstoni, distinguished by its collection locality and local coloration; aquarists keep and breed it as a discrete, provenance-labelled line.

Colour reference: living Monkey Bay fish at malawi.si →

About the species

Placidochromis johnstoni is a widespread, sandy-bottom haplochromine cichlid endemic to Lake Malawi, where it makes a modest living as a small-group forager picking invertebrates and tiny fish from the sediment. It is one of the most broadly distributed members of its genus, found lake-wide and downstream into the upper Shire River, and in the trade it still travels under its old name 'Haplochromis johnstoni.' Its quietest trick is also its most interesting: in a shoal of its own kind only a single male turns on full breeding color, so a tank of them can look drab until the social order sorts itself out.

Full Placidochromis johnstoni account →

Sources

  1. malawi.si — Placidochromis johnstoni "Monkey Bay"
  2. FishBase — Placidochromis johnstoni summary
  3. Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes (CAS) — Haplochromis sexfasciatus, synonym of Placidochromis johnstoni
  4. Identification of the Cichlid Fishes of Lake Malawi/Nyasa, Part 1: Cyrtocarina (benthic/'hap' sub-radiation)
  5. GBIF — occurrence dataset including Placidochromis johnstoni (Günther, 1894)
  6. FishBase — Placidochromis johnstoni point-data occurrences (GBIF/MRAC)