# HELP ASAP!! Kenyi wont eat,open mouth-anus swollen+ more



## Ravynn (Jun 30, 2010)

My male kenyi cichlid is over 1 year old, and have had him for a very long time.
I came home from a vacation and he is keeping his mouth closed, and he is breathing very fast and i can see the inside of his gills, which are blood red.

It looks like he is holding something in his mouth {since he wont open his mouth, and his cheeks are a bit larger than usual}, but i dont see anything.
Im very worried, and need replies asap.

He is extremely active, and other than this there is nothing wrong. His anus is red, and a little swollen. He goes up to the gravel very slowly and it almost looks like he's trying to poo, or scratch it.

Also, he goes up to the glass, and it almost looks like he's coughing. But, keeping his mouth closed.

He's in his own 20 gal {by himself} filtration is fine, and he hasnt been eating as much but he does. We feed him regular cichlid pellets, and we always clean his tank 20-30% a week.

This is worrying so much and this is the best fish i've had, I really dont want to loose him and i dont know whats going on. Thank you so much.


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Are you sure this is not a holding female? What color is "he"?


----------



## Ravynn (Jun 30, 2010)

This is not a female, he has an egg spot.
He is a very pale peach with gray/black bars on his body...


----------



## Guams (Aug 21, 2009)

You made a pretty good description of a holding female.

FYI: Egg spots can exist on both males and females. They are not a good way of sexing fish.

Did you move him into the 20 gallon to be by himself? Was he in a tank with any other fish?


----------



## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

Female Kenyi are blue not peach. Post a pic if u can.
Check the health section, I've no idea what it could be. Any other symptoms?
Mbuna are best fed a varied diet of multiple low protein foods.
Water quality/temp readings?
Last water change and %?
Assume you're using a dechlorinator.
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/f ... h_list.php


----------



## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

GTZ said:


> Female Kenyi are blue not peach. Post a pic if u can.


It isn't unusual for some females, to take on male colouration to a degree. It is a possibility that shouldn't be overlooked.


----------



## Ravynn (Jun 30, 2010)

I wasn't on here in a while, and it certainly isnt a female because there was no sign of eggs.
He hasn't been in a tank with other fish for the past year, and when he was they were babies.
He is no longer doing this and has been healthy.


----------



## dotbomb (Jan 5, 2011)

I love a happy ending to a fish health scare :thumb:


----------



## master chi (Jan 3, 2010)

still. sounds like a female who was holding eggs. 
probably unfertilized.

The swollen vent would be a possible sign(evidence) of eggs

My kenyi females changed to an almost male coloration whenever they held.

The fact that the you think egg spots are a reliable tool for determining gender says alot too.


----------



## Sparrk (Oct 11, 2010)

there hiding between rocks, my female turn pretty much peach when she is holding, and she have an egg spot to, you cant see it on that picture but she have one egg spot like my male.

 and the male on the right really is a flashy yellow, he took so much time to get is egg spot, at the beginning he was just half blue half yellow...

hope the pictures can help


----------

