african Cichlids sitting at bottom of tank

Question
QUESTION: i have an african cichlid tank and they were fine before i went to work this morning, this afternoon when i got home i noticed two of them were just sitting at the bottom of the tank with very little movment. just curious what i should do and what it is? i already did about a 30% water change and used stress coat in the tank. any suggestions? the ones that are sitting on the bottom are bumblebee cichlids.

any info helps out, thanks

ANSWER: Patrick,
Usually, when our fish are at the bottom of the tank it means their water is too cold. Cichlids  need to be in water temperatures of 76-82 degrees. Are they eating ok? If their water is any lower than 76 degrees, I would turn the heat up. If they are not showing any outward signs of illness, there isn't much you can do at the moment. Make sure when you do the water changes, the new water has to be the same temperature at the main tanks water. Even a 2 degree different can cause stress.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: How often should african cichlids eat? Also what type of food is best for them? My water temp is 78.2, is that a good temp? I lso just got my water tested and they say its a little high in nitrate, water change fix that? Could them sitting on bottom be the cause of overfeeding?

Answer
Patrick,
They need to eat every day just like any other fish. The best food is food made for Cichlids. Is it nitrates or nitrites that are elevated? Yes, water changes will bring them down, but the key is to make sure they are within normal ranges at all times. Ammonia and nitrites should be at zero and nitrates no more than 20ppm. Their water might be too cold. When that happens, fish become lethargic and will stop swimming and eventually stop eating. Make sure the water is between 74 and 80 degrees at all times.