Sick or just getting picked on?

[Ginabme]

I have had my 55 gallon tank for about 5 weeks now, I have a penguin 350 bio/wheel and a aquran 55 filter running in tank.
I waited about a 5 days after I set up tank before adding 2 African Cichlids. Then 4 days later added 2 more. A week later added 4 more.
So I thought now that I have my fish, I guess I should research how to care for my cichlids.( I know now that I should have done that first.)
So three weeks after setting up my tank , and having 8 perfect little 1" to 2" cichlids swimming around in my new tank, I realized I needed to get a test kit for my water. The first test I did with API chemical master test was ammonia .25 , ph 7.6 , nitrate 0 and nitrite 0. So I found out that I should do a partial water change and vacuum at least once a week. Fish seem to be doing fine. After my first water change I noticed that one of my kenyi was staying at bottom of tank and hiding all the time. Then a I noticed her color fading and this brownish color on her. She is not eating and is hard to find most of the time. I have also noticed when she does come out of hiding a couple of the other fish chase her back into hiding, so I'm not sure if she is sick or just being attacked and stressed.

 

[dkpate]

Probably stressed from having to go through the nitrogen cycle. You should have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and 5-40 nitrate. Do water changes to get the ammonia to 0. Only vacuum half the gravel each time, until your water parameters are good.

 

[TraceyB4602]

I personally wouldn't vacuum at all until your tank is cycled. If your fish is hiding and they others chase him then that could be causing he color change. Just keep up the testing and the water changes so your fish aren't stressed.

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