Open to suggestions on cichlid tank

[AprilMartinez]

60 gallon African Cichlid tank
Emheim canister filtration kit up to 60 gallons, 145 gallon filtration an hour
Aquatech double roller filtration, tank mount, 30 gallons
2 live plants, mostly just plastics
3 mystery snails (Gary 1, 2, & 3)
natural 4" aragonite sand bed
3 yellow labs (1 adult, 2 juveniles)
4 rainbow/jewel
2 acei
2 auratus
1 moori
1 bumblebee
2 I have no clue, I think they are hybrids, they are silvery brown, brown striped, yellow/orange colored fins, sometimes they go a lite silver/blue with no stripes
2 blue elongatus? blue/dark blue stipes

pH 7.6
High pH 8.2
Ammonia between 0 ppm and 0.25 ppm (closer to 0 ppm)
Nitrites 0 ppm
Nitrates 20 ppm

dimensions on tank:
48"x25"x12 1/2" (outside measurements)

submersible heater: temp between 80-82

So, yesterday I added aquarium salt because my little guys kept rubbing themselves in the sand and on the rocks. I didn't see any ICH spots but I added some meds to the water anyway, just in case. Today one of my auratus is barely swimming along. I think it might be dying. Any suggestions on what I should do to help it along (not in dying but living). Everyone else seems to be doing fine and they are all eating but that one little guy/girl.

Also, I added some live plants to help with lowering the nitrate level. Any suggestions on that as well?

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Your water parameters look good. A lot of Africans rub on the sand bed its part of what's called flashing. Salt may and may not help with that. I keep/use Epson salt in my tank. Is the fish that's not eating mouth look funny or look like it is chewing bubble gum? I would be careful with the fish you have. Some of them get really big and I would suggest a lot bigger of a tank for them.

 

[Cecil2010]

Also how old are both of your auratus ( or how long) and what are their colorations.

I.e. both yellow both black one of each.

 

[AprilMartinez]

The auratus are both juveniles. Maybe an inch in size and both colored the same. I know they are able to change sex but right now they look the same; black and white stripes, no brown.

 

[AprilMartinez]

Andrew, the auratus looks normal, no swelling in the mouth. I separated it next to an aerator in a net so it would have plenty of air.

 

[AprilMartinez]

Sorry, just let him out and yes, looks like he's chewing gum. Help!

 

[garfy]

Your blue with black stripes looks like a Demasoni to me and your jewels look very under coloured.I would expect them to be much redder.As for your Auratus has it been bullied any signs of fin nipping or marks on its body?

 

[garfy]

Chewing gum would suggest a female holding eggs

 

[AprilMartinez]

Really? Even that small?

 

[Mrc8858]

Really? Even that small?

My yellow lab just spit out her first baby not to long ago at 2"... Mbuna are breeding machines lol

 

[AprilMartinez]

I got the jewels at petsmart and they were even paler. Their colors are actually starting to improve. I make their food: peas, spinach, garlic, shrimp, cucumber, and an orange. Plus, flakes and occasionally some bloodworms. Any suggestions for color improvement? Btw, you're awesome for helping me

 

[garfy]

At an inch it seems unlikely but that's hat a mbuna chewing would suggest.Other signs would be immobility and not eating.

 

[garfy]

Good that they're colouring up means they are happy.Watch them with the Auratus and Bumblebee these are very mean mbuna right at the top of the aggression scale.

 

[AprilMartinez]

It's moving around but stops and sits until the others swim by then moves again.

 

[garfy]

For colour improvement you should feed a high quality pellet without a high protein content.I would avoid the bloodworms as they are not good for mbuna (too much protein) perhaps as a treat every now and again.
I feed either Hikari Cichlid Gold or New Era rift lake green cichlid pellets.Works a treat and my fish have great colour.

 

[garfy]

Many on here recommend NLS (new life spectrum) although I don't use it myself it comes highly recommended for vibrant healthy fish.

 

[christine2012]

The jewels wont stay colored up all the time. Mine stay pretty pale until they put on their breeding dress, which is a deep red almost purple. Other times they are a pale pink.

It sounds like the fish in question is holding. No worries, she will spit them in a few weeks and begin to eat again!

For coloration, you can always feed highly pigmented veggies like red bell pepper, carrots and so forth.
I haven't tried nls yet but I do know almost everybody swears by it

Also, African cichlids tend to flash against things even when nothing is wrong. I believe its a "I'm better than you" thing. You may also notice sometimes they appear to have mini seizures. Don't worry about that either. Its just a mating dance lol

 

[garfy]

The jewels wont stay colored up all the time. Mine stay pretty pale until they put on their breeding dress, which is a deep red almost purple. Other times they are a pale pink.

It sounds like the fish in question is holding. No worries, she will spit them in a few weeks and begin to eat again!

For coloration, you can always feed highly pigmented veggies like red bell pepper, carrots and so forth.
I haven't tried nls yet but I do know almost everybody swears by it

Also, African cichlids tend to flash against things even when nothing is wrong. I believe its a "I'm better than you" thing. You may also notice sometimes they appear to have mini seizures. Don't worry about that either. Its just a mating dance lol

I've had my 2 jewels over 6 months and they are always a deep red without exceptions.

 

[christine2012]

I've had my 2 jewels over 6 months and they are always a deep red without exceptions.

Ok but that doesn't mean that something is wrong with hers. It could just be their nature, if you Google it you will see that red jewels brighten and fade according to breeding.

However I do not see any photos so I can't really say.

 

[garfy]

Mood is very much a factor with colour in jewels not just breeding.A stressed fish will lose colour.