Cichalid Problem...... help!!!!

Question
I have a real problem starting to occur in my tank at home.  I currently have a few different Malawi Cichlid's such as electric blues, blue dolphins, electric yellows, marbled peacocks as such.  I'm finding that all the fish are getting small black spots around the mouth and on the chin, head and around the gills (on the outside of the fish of course). One of the fishes even has a black line on the side of it (looks a bit like a lead pencil mark/squiggle).  After continually searching the net I'm now at my wits end and don't know what to do as it's getting worse by the day and cannot find any info as how to medicate this. Do you have any info at all of the best way to handle this issue or resources I could refer to.  Even a simple medication (if that is possible) of what I could do to rectify this.

Answer
Hi Cathy,
 It sounds like they are fighting which is perfectly normal for cichlids.  Often when they fight they scratch up their mouths and heads. These things heal pretty quickly.

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
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