IS MY CICHLID SICK?

[EAST_TX_RN]

Help someone! I noticed that one of my electric yellows have some dark coloration around his facial area. It kind of looks like some muted stripes. He isn't acting sick, but I have never seen this before! Water,temp,etc. is good. He is in with a common pleco,other EY's, and one big old Melanochromis Cyan male. WTF could it be?

[fishwithteethlover]

Yellow labs if male sometimes get the leleupi male coloration which is the signature beard look. It just looks like they have 5 o'clock shadow all the time. Nothing wrong with him he just maturing.

[EAST_TX_RN]

Whew! Thank goodness! I have been raising them for over 3 years and never noticed this before! Thanks a lot!

[somefishguy]

He is just old enough to grow beard. Awesome use of wording FWTL. I also noticed that when my males wanted to breed or were in the breeding cycle. That yellow looks healthy and all good.

[EAST_TX_RN]

Thanks, SFG! I guess I need to start watching them more! Knock on wood, but after 3 years of raising cichlids, I have yet to lose one to illness!

[somefishguy]

When I had mine breeding, alot of the times, it looked like mine had a complete black head.