Red Devil is now White after PH problem

Question
Recently my tanks' PH went horribly out of balance.  The ammonia and nitrate were sky high and I did a 75% water change, vacummed the gravel and replaced the bio filters.  None of my fish died and all are acting normal now.  The only exception is my red devil who used to be bright orange and is now almost white since the incident.  What can I do to get his color back?  It's been over a week now and I'm not seeing any improvement.  Your help will be greatly appreciated.  ~Jim

Answer
Hi Jim,
I can't be entirely sure why your pH went out of balance. Did it rise suddenly or drop very low? If it went really high maybe its rocks you have in your tank that are leeching minerals into the water that are raising the pH. If it dropped down really low it's very likely that there was a buildup of organics and pollutants that naturally produce acid as they decompose which of course in turn lowers your pH. This is easily prevented if you make sure to do plenty of frequent water changes.

As for the ammonia and nitrite spike, likely something wiped out the biological filter. Maybe if you added some kind of chemical to the tank. Did an overcleaning of filters? Replacing the bio-filters completely isn't really the best thing. It's best to do half the filter and wait another week or so to change out the other part.

I would recommend just doing 50% or so water changes which is often the best thing to do to get everything balanced out. Water changes can do wonders.

I'm sorry about your Red Devil he is probably just stressed. It's very common for these cichlids to change color. It depends upon their moods, or it could even be sickness or aging. Just keep a close eye on him and try your best to give him a varied diet and clean water.

Keep in mind sometimes adjusting your pH does more harm than good. Usually pH problems are uncommon unless the tank doesn't get enough frequent cleanings.

Best wishes and Happy fishkeeping!
Karen~