pale fish and flashing

Question
my jack dempsey 7inchs has been pale for the last month and sometimes is flahing fins are not clamped and he eats he gets startled when go near the tank but jumps for food why is he pale?75 gallon 1 jack dempsey7 inchs 1 foremouth 7inch 1 green terror4 inchs and 1 common plecco 4 inchs

Answer
Hi Chris,
 That is hard to say, but when a fish gets skittish there are usually one of a few things going on.  Either it is being bullied by another fish (I would suspect the green terror), or water conditions are declining in the tank.   Have you been doing regular weekly partial water changes of 25%.  If not, as the ammonia builds up, fish tend to get more and more skittish.  Several good 25% water changes, several days in a row, might really help the situation.

-- Ron C.
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
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