# Red Gills on a Red Zebra



## iCichlid (Sep 21, 2009)

Hello Cichlid Parents!

My Red Zebra is showing some redness in his/her gill area. I'm just noticing this change.

Here is a photo:









It's the only fish in the tank showing any red around the gills.

Ammonia, Nitrite are both 0 and Nitrate is ~20. Last water change was Saturday. I do around 15 Gallons (55gallon tank). I use Prime to condition the water and then I add my API Salt and my Cichlid Juice (Minerals, trace elements, etc).

She's been hanging out in the corners a little more, but she's also newer to the tank. Knock on wood, I don't currently have a tank bully.

Suggestions?


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## iCichlid (Sep 21, 2009)

Here's another photo where the red is a bit easier to see...


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## Robin (Sep 18, 2002)

Red Zebras do have a reddish tinge around their gills as part of their natural coloring. I really can't tell from the pictures whether this redness is something more than that or not.

Is the fish eating? Is the fish flashing/scratching? Gasping? Does it swim around at all or pretty much stay in the corner?

A new fish may tend to hide a little for a few days but generally speaking it is usually an indication that something is wrong. Could be illness, could be aggression from another fish. Often with this sort of aggression what you'll see is one fish, call it fish '1', hanging at the top, or hiding behind something. It may seem like none of the other fish are causing it but keep watching. If you look long enough what you'll notice is that as soon as fish '1' starts to swim away from it's place fish '2' will stop what its doing and turn, maybe only slightly, towards it and the fish '1' will immediately turn back to its spot. Sometimes Fish '2' will allow fish '1' to come out to eat, but not always.

So sorry, it's unclear what's going on here. If the gill color is a parasite or disease then you'll soon start to notice more symptoms. The redness will spread, there may be fuzzy white growth and the fish will become lethargic. 
Definitely want to keep a close watch on this one.

Robin


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## iCichlid (Sep 21, 2009)

Ahhh... that makes sense... His color looks a little faded which would explain why the redness is "popping". I'll keep an eye on him. I tried to get him out of the tank into the hospital and he wanted nothing to do with it, and I wasn't about to tare down all the rocks to get him.

Thanks for the quick response!!

Chris


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## Steve St.Laurent (Oct 2, 2008)

As Robin said Red Zebra's do have a reddish tinge to their gills. I have 5 Red Zebra's in my tank and they all look like that and always have.


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## iCichlid (Sep 21, 2009)

Thanks Steve... I think i'm just being an over concerned parent! I'm going to keep an eye on him/her (if anyone knows which it is...)

My only other little concern is her poop is looking kinda white.


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## Robin (Sep 18, 2002)

These symptoms are cause for concern: 


> His color looks a little faded





> My only other little concern is her poop is looking kinda white.


Faded colors indicates some sort of stress to the fish. 
White or clear feces is often, _but not always_, the first symptom of Bloat.

When was the last time you saw this fish eat? Have you seen the fish spit food out?

Robin


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## iCichlid (Sep 21, 2009)

He seems to eat. I feed 2x a day. They are on a varitry of food. New Life Specteum, Hikari cichlid staple. Hikari Cichlid Gold and Hikari Algae wafers.

When I get the net out to try to catch him to move him to the hospital tank, he's the first to hide!!


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