Please Help! Need To Know What's Going On In My Tank!

[Eddie0326]

Hello everyone,
I need help I have an african cichlid tank In that tank I have many different mbuna cichlids but the one I need help with are my 2 melanochromis chipokae one blue and one yellow the yellow one is turning a bluish brown and vibrates especially In Front of my yellow lab and the blue on is calmly just hovering at the top of the tank as if it was told to stay away! I noticed the blue one also is constantly changing from blue to like a grayish color and mouth more open than usual! Can some one please tell me what's going on !!!!!!!

 

[techen]

Size of tank?
 
Tank temp?
 
Water stats?
 
How long has the tank been up for?
 
How often do you do water changes.

 

[bullit]

Sounds like cross breeding is gonna go on. You shouldnt keep similar looking fish. cheers

 

[Eddie0326]

60 gal 48w x 12 1/4d x 25h
Temp 80deg
Ph 8.2
0 ammonia
0 nitrite
20ppm nitrate
Water changes once a week about 15 gal per water change
Tank was running with a small school of danios for the cycle for about 5 1/2 weeks fully cycled after that for bout 2 weeks then cichlids were introduced so bout 3 months now

 

[Malawifan]

The blue one is the male. He's probably not sexually mature yet. When there is a lack of dominance the female will turn a brownish colour. I have two females, the bigger female turns brown and goes into full breeding mode. Shaking her booty all over. While the smaller one looks confused.

 

[Eddie0326]

Ooohhhh I see. But I also noticed that the male is just Chillin at the top of the tank and does not eat he's hasn't eaten for like 2 or 3 days

 

[Malawifan]

Could he have bloat. Not eating and sitting at the top of the tank sounds like bloat.

 

[Eddie0326]

Well I'm not sure what that would look like but he's not fat or big in the guy he's actually slimmer than all the rest

 

[Malawifan]

I'm not to sure myself. Keep an eye on him. Maybe worth joining a Malawi forum for some specialist help.

Pmd

 

[Eddie0326]

Do u know of any good Malawi forums ???

 

[Malawifan]

I've sent you a link to a forum I'm in via pm

 

[Eddie0326]

Ok so I'm home now and I look at him and he has what looks like a sore on his right side what is that I'm gonna quarantine him and see what happens