# Electric Yellow Lab -Red around Pectoral fins & mark on face



## jecatch (Aug 7, 2013)

Hi everyone,
Partly new to the forum, been more of a lurker reading till now. Have a 8 electric yellows + other fish, and two have this red mark around their pectoral fin and on the face. 
But not sure about the mark below his eye is related to something. They all seem to be acting fine but just want to make sure that this isn't anything bad.
Will post new detail of water but last time I tested. The thank is 50 gallons. 
Ammonia- 0
Nitrite- 0
Nitrate- 50 I know it is a little high


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## Robin (Sep 18, 2002)

Welcome former lurker
It could be nothing--just their natural coloring--especially since they're eating and swimming normally. But since your nitrate is high I would take the next few weeks and work to get it down. Daily or every other day partial water changes of 30-40%, (using a good quality dechlorinator), keep feedings to one small feeding a day and give the gravel several thorough siphonings. If your gravel is more than four inches deep you might want to remove some of it, (after it's been thoroughly siphoned) as a deep substrate can give waste a place to accumulate and that contributes to high nitrates. 
You want your nitrate level to stay below 20ppm--and only rising that high just before the weekly water change--10ppm is # you're shooting for. 
You can also check your filter media to make sure there's not a build up of waste--if so: rinse in a bucket of tank water.

Robin


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