Stool

Question
QUESTION: Hello! I have a question. I have a male managuense (jaguar) cichlid in a 10-20 gallon tank. The temperature is about 74 degrees F. We have a filter and I think an airater (two tubes on either side of the tank that blow out bubbles). We also have some live plants to keep the good bacteria levels up. Now to the question. Today I noticed that my cichlid (named emerald) has grown. Not only in length but in general size, over night, almost like magic. But whats concerning me is his stool (pheces). It looks hard and not stringy like all my other fish. I want to know, is there something wrong with him?

ANSWER: Hi Justin:  what are you feeding your Managuense??? How many inches long is he??? You might want to raise the temperature up to about 78 degrees for him and other tropical fish.... Let me know... dave

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

QUESTION: Hello again! He was only about two inches long, now about two and a half inches. I try to vary his diet. His diet consists of: bloodworms(not living), TertaMin Tropical Granules, and a little bit of goldfish flakes. Hope this helps!

Thank you for your time,
Justin

P.S. How do you raise the temperature??? I don't have a heater, just a light.

Answer
Try to feed him brine shrimp for a couple of days.  They will help to clean him out... Cichlids hit growth spurts and will grow pretty quickly for a while... he may just be in one of those.  keep me posted about his poop and I would not worry about his growth... dave