Urgent Help Please - Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid Lost It's Color And Br

[DJC1]

As title states.

I've had a pair (m&f), of these for about two weeks, and they have both been fine. I have just noticed the male has lost as lot of his colour (he used to be blue), and is now looking rather white (i think he was ok yesterday?).
He is also breathing a lot, and didn't come up for his food - he is usually the first!
Also in the tank is 3 cherry barbs, 5 tetras, and about 5 bottom feeders.

Only been keeping fish for around a month. Advice needed please, water levels last week were:

Ammonia - 0.25
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 70'ish

Did a 30% water after readings.

 

[DJC1]

Also, there looked like a very fine green string of something from his...er...fish bottom. It looked like a string of algie?!?
Before now, his poo has appeared normal.

 

[DJC1]

Just done a levels test.

Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - can't tell, 80...maybe 100

 

[Luketendo]

Ammonia should be 0.

Nitrate should (especially for cichlids) be less than 40ppm.

Do a 25% water change.

Also what size tank is this and what are the bottom feeders?

 

[WILDER]

How many gallons is the tank.
How many fish and which type as the tank, as the test kit in ammonia is saying uncycled.

 

[DJC1]

Ammonia - 0

Bottom feeders x 3. I think they are Panda Corydora.

2 x Catfish, not sure which type, but they are the ones which stay smaller (2"-3" I think).

Tank - 65ltr (17gl?)

 

[WILDER]

Fish can go pale if water quality wasn't good.
Has your tank cycled before now with ammonia and nitrite being 0.

 

[DJC1]

It had cycled, but when fish were added it went up to 0.25 for ammonia.

This is the first it has dropped back down to 0 I think, but it has probably been 0 for at least a few days, and it si only now the cichlid has gone pale and is breathing heavily.

 

[WILDER]

The ammonia spike took it tole on him sadly. have you increased aeration.
Look under ammonia poisoning.

 

[DJC1]

An aerator is attached to the filter nozzle so air is constantly pumped in.

I have no other tank to out him in.

Ammonia poisoning - sujests to stop feeding for a couple of days, will no food kill of the other fish?

 

[DarkEntity]

No, i only feed my tanks once a week sometimes only 2-3 times every 2 weeks. They will be fine.

 

[DJC1]

Just did a 30-40% water change. As i was pouring the water back in, he perked up a bit, swimming in the bubbles and everything. But eventually he just goes to the bottom and struggles to swim properly - upside down a lot of the time.

I'll see how he is in the morning, but I'm not too hopeful.

Best to leave the lights in the tank on or off?

 

[kribensis12]

Off, reduces stress. Keep the tank warm, and make no loud noises around it. I'm praying for you!