Cichlid, Loss Of Color And Inflated Anus?

[fatheadminnow]

I have a Melanochromis auratus, and he gets a loss of color all the time now, and I just noticed an inflamed anus?

Internal parasites?

How would I treat this? I have a medicine called lifeguard made by jungle? Is this any good?

Thanks!
-FHM

 

[WILDER]

Size of tank in gallons or litres.
How many fish and which type.
Water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.

Does the fish look bloated as an inflamed anus can also be dropsy.

Signs of internal parasites are.
Long stringy white poo, or clear mucas poo.
Worms prutruding from the anus.
Enlarged anus, or red inflamed anus.
Fish will look skinny or bloated.
Sunken in belly sometimes.
Bent spine sometimes.
Fish will sometimes swim on its side.

 

[fatheadminnow]

Size of tank in gallons or litres.
How many fish and which type.
Water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.

Does the fish look bloated as an inflamed anus can also be dropsy.

Signs of internal parasites are.
Long stringy white poo, or clear mucas poo.
Worms prutruding from the anus.
Enlarged anus, or red inflamed anus.
Fish will look skinny or bloated.
Sunken in belly sometimes.
Bent spine sometimes.
Fish will sometimes swim on its side.

55 gallon (US)
5 Cichlids, and two small catfish, fogot what kind. They are really small ones.

Ammonia: 0
NitrIte: 0
NitrAte: 5
pH 7.8

The fish does not look any fatter then he has always looked.

I just noticed that the last couple of days he is very vunerable to his surroundings. Like if a fish chases him a bit, or when I did a water change, he would loos his color for a couple mintues and then it would come back?

He has also stepped up on his aggression level by chasing other fish around more than usual, and he likes to dig holes a lot in the substrate.

Any ideas? Could he just be concipated?

I feed flake food, and about twice a week I feed frozen brine shrimp washed off in tank water.

-FHM

 

[fatheadminnow]

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

He does not seem to be bloated at all, and the his inflamed anus has decreased.

But he still looses his bright yellow and black color, all the way to gray every now and then.

Like right now I just fed the fish, and a little bit after he started eating he lost his color, but now about 5 min later it is all back???

What is going on here? He still eats just like he always does, and no sign of long stringy poo.... as of yet?

Thank for all of your help in advance!!!!

-FHM

 

[WILDER]

Ok.
What do you feed the fish.
Give it another day to see if the anus goes back to normal.
He he acting listless and lethagic.

 

[fatheadminnow]

Ok.
What do you feed the fish. Wardley flake and pellet, and frozenbrine shrimp twice a week.
Give it another day to see if the anus goes back to normal. The anus has gone down in size a lot. It almost looks normal.
He he acting listless and lethagic. No, he is acting like he always has.

He still looses his color all the time.

-FHM

 

[fatheadminnow]

Anyone, please!?

I am getting really worried here.... I don't want to loose him!

-FHM

 

[dthoffsett]

Aside from the inflamed anus what you are describing is perfectly normal M.auratus behavior. The digging pits and becoming more aggressive are signs of sexual maturity as is the color change, eventually he should turn a dark blue/gray color with lighter stripes if he is indeed a male as I suspect. Mbuna can change their colors from light to dark depending on their mood, breeding interest or stress levels.

If it's a female, then the her loosing her color for short times may be a sign that she is startled or stressed by the other fish. Any signs of abnormal aggression among your other fish?

 

[fatheadminnow]

Aside from the inflamed anus what you are describing is perfectly normal M.auratus behavior. The digging pits and becoming more aggressive are signs of sexual maturity as is the color change, eventually he should turn a dark blue/gray color with lighter stripes if he is indeed a male as I suspect. Mbuna can change their colors from light to dark depending on their mood, breeding interest or stress levels.

If it's a female, then the her loosing her color for short times may be a sign that she is startled or stressed by the other fish. Any signs of abnormal aggression among your other fish?

Thanks for your response!

All other fish are behaving normally.

The only other time he lost his color was when I introduced a new fish and he, or maybe her, became very stressed out and his bright yellow and black color when to a dull gray all over his body!?

I don't know, I hope he is fine!

EDIT: I know the digging is normal, as my other cichlids do it all the time, I just never seen him do it to this extent before? It was like he was on steroids!

-FHM

 

[dthoffsett]

It was like he was on steroids!
-FHM

Hormones will to that to ya.

 

[WILDER]

Has the anus gone back to normal.

 

[fatheadminnow]

Has the anus gone back to normal.

Yes, it has gone back to normal now and he is starting to get his color back. His color looks more rich now.

I dosed some meds for the last couple of days just to be on the safe side and it looks as if things are starting to do a little better for him!?

-FHM

 

[WILDER]

That's good news then.

 

[fatheadminnow]

Well, this morning after feeding them, he decided to loose his color again!!!!!

What is going on? Why does he still do this? I mean, he acts like normal but he looses his color all the time!

-FHM

 

[dthoffsett]

Well, this morning after feeding them, he decided to loose his color again!!!!!

What is going on? Why does he still do this? I mean, he acts like normal but he looses his color all the time!

-FHM

Is it only for a short time? If so, that's perfectly normal, mbuna reqularly alter the intensity of their color, at least all of mine did. If it's losing color for hours at a time, my guess would be some sort of illness or stress. If his anus is back to normal and he's eating well I'd be inclined to think it's stress. You might consider rearraging your rockwork (I know pain in the butt) to break up existing territories and see if that helps.