Habitat: Shallow muddy bays, sandy habitat, and intermediate habitat
Diet: Carnivore
Gender Differences: Dimorphic
Breeding: Maternal Mouthbrooder
Temperament: Peaceful
Conspecific Temperament: Mildly Aggressive
Maximum Size: 7.5"
Temperature: 78 - 82°F
pH: 7.8 - 8.6
Water Hardness: Hard
Difficulty: 2
Photo Credit: Hisao Masui
Images:
Large male
Juvenile
[TD]
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P. johnstoni is a "common find" in muddy, shallow bays, especially in association with plant beds. It often forages in mixed species groups but is also found in groups of its own kind, numbering as many as 50! In these groups, a single male will express breeding coloration (similar to F. rostratus). This cichlid often joins N. polystigma to hunt small fry but also feeds on invertebrates. It has a unique and interesting hunting behavior: They plunge their heads deep down into a plant bed and quickly snap their mouth shut. The result is a squirt of water that disturbs the fine layer of sediment covering the leaves - exposing invertebrates. It also performs this "trick" on sediment covered rocks in the intermediate habitat. The result here is a bit different. The stirred up sediment attracts small mbuna who then fall prey to the predator.
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