A club for owners of Parrot Cichlids

You think it may be the shrimp? Trust me. It's your water!!!! You just said the levels are way to high. With those levels, I'm shocked they're alive.

If you don't keep your ammonia and nitrites at zero and your nitrates at 20 or below, your fish are always going to be sick. They're skin is peeling because it is burning off. They have chemical burns that have done serious damage to their slime coating. Levels like those also do organ damage.

It wouldn't surprise me if you have some secondary problems going on as well due to their immune system being incredibly compromised. Keep a eye out for parasites.

Besides the water needing to be taken care of, the fish do to. I think I may have found why they are peeling.
Damage to the slime coat do to stress and water quality.
Essential electrolytes necessary for osmoregulation are lost through breaks that may occur in the skin and slime coat, causing dangerous stress. Open wounds and abrasions caused by handling and netting are readily attacked by disease organisms, resulting in further stress and disease. Every fish has a natural mucoprotein or "slime" coating covering its skin and scales. The slime coating is the fish's first line of defense against infection.

The slime coating contains enzymes and antibodies to fight infection. The slime coating acts as a shield against disease causing organisms in the fish's external environment. It also acts as a barrier to prevent loss of internal electrolytes and body fluids. When even a small portion of the slime coating is removed, the fish will bleed electrolytes from its body into the surrounding water.

Beneath the fish's mucoprotein coating (slime coat) are its scales which can extend to the outer skin surface from the underlying dermal connective tissue. Beneath the scales in a fish's skin is the epidermis, comprising several layers of cells. The fish epidermis is distinguished from mammalian epidermis in that mammals require hardened layers of skin to prevent dehydration, whereas in the aquatic environment, the fish has no need for such protection. Thus, unlike the case in mammals, mitosis is usually seen in the lower layer of the epidermal layer of a fish. Beneath the epidermis of a fish is the dermis comprising fibrous connective tissue interspersed with black pigment cells. The vascular dermal tissue contains a network of capillaries providing nutrient to the skin.

When a fish is netted, handled or even at times when placed in a stressful situation, such as low oxygen, high carbon dioxide, poor water conditions or temperature fluctuations, the slime coating is disturbed, making the fish vulnerable to disease, such as bacterial, fungal and parasitic diseases.

Poor water quality can really eat away at the slime coat of a fish. This can come from improper pH, salinity, etc..... The main way to avoid this is to do regular (perhaps monthly) water changes.
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You need to also repair your fishes slime coat and protect them from disease.
First drain the tank as previously discussed, but 1/3 tank.
Then add the salt it helps with this problem. If you have already added the salt. For each gallon you remove in a drain, add the salt again for the gallon you put in. Five gallons out, add 1 tbs salt. Salt comes out only when you remove it.
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You will need to find Stress Coat® Plus. I think it is available at most pet shops and maybe Wal-Mart's.
* Instantly removes chlorine and neutralizes heavy metals
* Helps replace the natural slime coating fish need in times of stress
* Contains Aloe Vera, nature's liquid bandage, to prevent loss of essential electrolytes and speed tissue growth
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It contain aloe vera, and is supposed to be the best at stress coat repair. When you do water changes, you will use it to remove chlorine etc. There are also directions on the bottle for repairing stress coat of fish. You will need to do both.
the salt will also help with this.
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Next your fish are quite vulnerable at this time, they will need a broad-spectrum antibiotic to help heal and prevent further damage. Maracyn is normally good for this. Directions on the box.
Melafix can be used with maracyn. It is a good healing natural product that can handle some fungus and other problems. The directions are on the bottle.
Keep doing water readings and work to get them into safe ranges. Be very careful to make the water you add the same temp as in the tank. Water changes can be stressful too, so make them as easy as possible for your fish.
Keep using the stress coat to help heal the fishes slime coat.
Watch for any changes or new symptoms, get back if you see any.
ask if you don't understand something.
Let us know how it is going.
good luck

You need to use the stress coat with every water change. While their slimecoat is damaged you will need to use more as it says on the bottle. To heal the slimecoat. With a water change, it is a good chlorine remover, so it is really something you should continue to use when you do water changes,
The meds are to be used as directed. Each tells you how. They are once a day. I would add them after the water change for that day.
The only conditioner is the stresscoat.
The salt is very important at this time also. So you should keep it in the tank at least while they are sick. Plus the raised temperature. Just remember that it is in the tank until you take it out. So if you drain 5 gallons from the bottom, you need to replace the salt for 5 gallons.
Print all the info if you are having trouble remembering. You will catch on. It is just two meds and a conditioner. Conditioner that is needed to remove chlorine for a tank change anyhow. You will have to adjust the amount to help heal your fishes slimecoat. That is on the bottle too.
Salt is something that in the future you can remove some if you wish and not replace. I like to keep some aquarium salt in my tank. Just don't add more without taking out the same amount.
We have had many fish laying on the bottom, come out of it. Just do your best. And try to not stress them more than you have too.