AFICAN SICLETS & PH LEVELS

Question
WE HAVE AN AFRICAN SICLET WHO SEEMS TO CHANGE COLORS.  WHEN WE PURCHASED HIM HE WAS A NICE BRIGHT YELLOW WITH A HINT OF BLACK.  LATELY WE HAVE NOTICED THAT THE TOP HALF OF HIM TURNS A GRAYISH BLACK TONE.  YOU CAN BARELY SEE ANY YELLOW.  IS THAT NORMAL?  

ALSO, I HAVE NOTICED THAT OUR PH LEVELS ARE REALLY LOW.  HOW CAN WE INCREASE OUR PH LEVELS? SHOULDN'T IT BE CLOSE TO A 7.5 PH LEVEL?

WE ALSO HAVE A JACK DEMSEY IN THE TANK WITH THE AFRICAN SICLET.  THIS JACK IS OUR SECOND.  THE 1ST ONE WENT INTO A FIT OF RAGE AND JUMPED OUT OF THE TANK.  WE NOTICED THAT THE 1ST JACKS TURNED ALMOST VIOLENT.  HE WOULD TEAR ALMOST EVERYTHING UP IN THE TANK I WAS ACTUALLY SCARED THAT HE WAS GOING TO BREAK THE TANK.  NOW THE 2ND ONE IS STARTING TO DO THE SAME THING.  SHOULD I SEPERATE THEM?  

YOUR HELP IS GREATLY APPRECIATED!!

Answer
Hi Lori,
  Color change is quite normal for cichlids.  Cichlids use color to indicate all sorts of things, such as mood, interest in breeding, parental status, etc.  

  You can increase your pH either by adding chemicals or by adding stuff like sea shells or crushed coral gravel which will naturally keep the pH quite high.  

  Jack Dempseys and African cichlids don't really mix very well. The Dempsey will eventually get much larger than the African cichlid and likely kill it.  

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>