Please help me with my sick Electric Yellow African Cichlid

[wcts17]

Can someone help me identify the sickness that my Cichlid has, so I will know what to do and how to treat him. See pictures. I just noticed it so I'm not sure how long it's been like this.
Thanks in advance for all your help, Wanda

[Alex Calder]

Wow, it appears very bloated!
I would start by stopping feeding for a few days and possibly add 1 tablespoon/10 gallons of plain Epsom salts.
After a day or two I would consider thawing and shelling some frozen peas (maybe 3-4 peas).

This could be something else but way over fed and bloated just popped out at me.

[Ken Boorman]

I agree completely with what Alex said. Could you post water parameters and water change regime too please, just to be sure there isn't some other underlaying cause.

Ken

[wcts17]

Thanks for the advise. I did change 50% of the water Thursday night, added aquarium salt, cichlid essential, Stress coat and Melafix. I guess it was a little to late, when I came in around 8:00 I found that he didn't make it. I guess I'll continue to add the melafix for 7 days just to prevent something else happening. In hopes that will help if something else is going on in the tank.
Blessings,
Wanda

Nitrate 20
Nitrite 3
Hardness 150
Chlorine 0
Alkalinity 40
pH 6.8 I've added Ph up to bring the pH up.
Ammonia 6.0 when I did the water change Thursday I didn't clean the filter, I have a canister filter and will do that today in hopes of reducing the ammonia.

[Lisachromis]

Sorry to hear that. How long have you had this tank up? The reason I ask is that ammonia reading is very high for an established tank.

[Alex Calder]

Wanda,
First let me join Lisa in the sorry, it is very tough to lose a pet.

If I go too fast or do not explain something well enough let me know.

The biggest issue you are facing is that it appears your tank is not cycled or is experiencing a mini cycle.
Either the tank is newly setup (say in the last 3 months) or your maintenance needs some adjustment.
Also what size tank do you have and how many fish are in it.

When you clean the filter do it in a bucket of tank water, tap water may contain chlorine which would kill beneficial Bacteria.
You can also use tap water if you you use water conditioner to remove the chlorine/chloramine first.