# Cichlid Lost Its Electric Blue Color :(



## SusquehannaDriftwood

I have had cichlids for a while... about a year ago I got a new 20 gallon aquarium and put two cichlids in there with sand and a bunch of fake rock and corral to simulate a "salt water" like tank without the tremendous care that salt water tanks need.

The cichlids were 1 bumble bee cichlid and one electric blue cichlid

Both are getting bigger and look healthy.... though the electric blue cichlid has lost its pretty blue color and is now almost like a dull grayish blue *Conf*

The electric blue cichlid really made the tank pop and was so cool to watch

If anyone can help me figure out why my cichlid lost its color and how to restore it.... that would be fantastic


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## CAM

You are testing the water periodically, right ? Parameters all good ?

Anything new in the tank ? Even a change to the decor lately ? 

Is he acting stressed out ? Hiding more than usual ?


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## SusquehannaDriftwood

The tanks water is actually darn near perfect and I haven't added anything in months. The cichlid that lost its color usually always hides in a cave in one of the fake rock structures. The water, added to having great testing levels, the water is crystal clear. I am stumped as to why its color is lost. It also has a small yellow-ish round spot on its back bottom fin.

Oh and also the yellow bumble bee hasnt lost any color... but always seems very lethargic and just kinda floats in one spot most of the time. This cichlid has been like this for months


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## dalfed

The bumble bee has claimed dominance. Pseudotropheus Crabro are tough tough cichlids, you could try moving stuff around but in a twenty he probably will keep your electric blue terrified


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## SusquehannaDriftwood

dalfed said:


> The bumble bee has claimed dominance. Pseudotropheus Crabro are tough tough cichlids, you could try moving stuff around but in a twenty he probably will keep your electric blue terrified


The thing is... the bumble bee cichlid is always the one being chased/bullyed is seems like. Also the bumble bee cichlid is only about half the size of the dull colored one *Conf*


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## dalfed

If your electric blue is the johanni cichlid (lots of cichlids called electric blue) then you have chosen two of the most aggressive mbuna known lol. Try to remove one for a couple of days and see if the color returns. If it does then regardless of size he has lost the battle at some point. A 20 gallon tank is too small for either of them forget both.


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## SusquehannaDriftwood

dalfed said:


> If your electric blue is the johanni cichlid (lots of cichlids called electric blue) then you have chosen two of the most aggressive mbuna known lol. Try to remove one for a couple of days and see if the color returns. If it does then regardless of size he has lost the battle at some point. A 20 gallon tank is too small for either of them forget both.



I will give this a try!

I have seen alot of people keep more than two cichlids in a 20 gallon.... are you sure the tank is not big enough? Or is it just a personal preference?


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## tike

SusquehannaDriftwood said:


> I will give this a try!
> 
> I have seen alot of people keep more than two cichlids in a 20 gallon.... are you sure the tank is not big enough? Or is it just a personal preference?


Typically, most people that use that small of a tank for africians plan on moving them into larger quaters soon. Also, just 2 makes it easy to pick on other fish, I have always kept africans in groups i.e a 75 gallon with 24 assorted that way it is hard for one dominant fish to pick on one fish constantly, the aggression is spread out among the group.

About the dulling fish. It could be that it was hormoned into the the excellant color it had. After about 3 weeks the eefect of hormones will fade leaving a dull fish. Try using a good color food to get some of it back.


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## graybot

The bumblebee needs 55g minimum. 20g will only work for juvenile cichlids. Nobody keeps African cichlids in a 20g successfully. Sure, you can throw them in there and say you did it, but eventually there will be deaths from aggression or illness. Cichlid color is closely tied to mood, social position, and health. It may also be a female. Females are often colored like males when young, then go dull when mature.


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## graybot

For a 20g you should rehome the Africans and put some dwarf cichlids in there. Rams, apistogramma and kribensis are all colorful interesting fish that are less aggressive and suited to a tank of that size. Max size 4-5" per fish, usually more like 3-4".


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## dalfed

SusquehannaDriftwood said:


> I will give this a try!
> 
> I have seen alot of people keep more than two cichlids in a 20 gallon.... are you sure the tank is not big enough? Or is it just a personal preference?


pseudotropheus_crabro

Electric Blue Johanni, Melanochromis johannii, Johanni Cichlid Fish Guide

Just trying to help


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## DigitalBuddha

Sounds like you need a bigger tank if you want these guys to grow up happily. Perhaps a good solution without getting a bigger tank is to get rid of one of them.


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## Jetiii7

Mine lost its color but gained it back at night


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