Sick African Cichlids Please Help.

[noobWITHaPROBLEM]

Hey,
My name is Amanda, I have a 55 gallon mixed African Cichlid tank.
Water temp 80
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 20ppm
ph 8.0

I just noticed while doing a water change that my fish are all flashing and breathing heavy. Also my male yellow lab has tiny red pin sized spots on his left side just above his anal fin. I tried to get a picture but he is hiding so it wont be possible right now. maybe later. he is eating normally though.. as are all of the fish and he is the only one hiding everyone else is swimming around flashing and breathing heavy.

Right away I cleaned my filters and treated for ick.
Treating with quick cure
55 drops / one drop per gallon.

I am very worried because my female lab has been holding for about a week and a half now and I dont want the babies to die. she is flashing but no spots or sores and she is swimming around as normally as a holding female does...

Any thoughts??

Also I cant move anyone to another tank as I have no other tank and have no room for another tank seeing as how I am running 5 right now.

Inhabitants -
2 Yellow lab's breeding pair 3.5 inches
2 kingzisei 1 m 1 ? 3.5 inches
2 sulferheads 2 inches genders unknown
2 Johanni 1 m 2.5 - 3 inches 1 gender unknown 1.5 - 2 inches
2 african thickskin 1 m 1 f 3 - 3.5 inches
2 kribensis 1 m 2 inches 1 f 1 inch
1 Orange blotch peacock gender unknown 2.5 - 3 inches
1 Red top zebra gender unknown 2.5 - 3 inches
1 albino red top zebra gender unknown 2.5 - 3 inches
1 brichardi gender unknown 2 inches
1 red empress male 3.5 - 4 inches
1 clown pleco
1 common pleco


Tank -
55 gallon
48" long 12" wide and i think 18" inches or 16" tall
tons of rocks
some lace java fern and fake plants
small piece of wood
30 lbs of aragonite
some sea shells

running 2 hob filters
one aqua clear 70
one aqua tech 30 - 60

heater dont know how many watts but good for a 70 gallon tank "theo hydor" brand.


I am well aware that I am overstocked but i do 50% water changes every week and am upgrading to a 120 gallon in two months.

Also I'm sorry but I dont know the scientific names for any of my fish other than my Labidochromis's

 

[winmore]

Hi i think you could do with a air pump in there.not sure what the red spots could be.

 

[Keeper Of Cichlids]

Have you fed them bloodworm by any chance?

 

[noobWITHaPROBLEM]

No I haven't and I have an air pump and its on full blast

 

[Malawi MaD]

Do you have any pics of the fish?

 

[noobWITHaPROBLEM]

i havent been able to get one he is hiding in the rocks and im not about to take aprt my whole setup to get to him i will keep trying tomorrow after work

 

[Malawi MaD]

i havent been able to get one he is hiding in the rocks and im not about to take aprt my whole setup to get to him i will keep trying tomorrow after work

Ok. You do have a quite a few fish for a 55G and id recommend removing the kribs and brichardi now or at least when you get the 120G. Then just keep mbuna all together

For the meantime id do a large water change 50% and introduce slightly cooler water, couple of degree's lower. Try moving the outlet's of your filter to the surface to just to try and create more surface agitation.