WHY!!!

Hi folks
I'm not keeping malawi cichlids that long but the last 3 days i've noticed some of them are rubbing themselfs off the sand.
They all look healthy and there eating and drinking (lol) fine.
I've checked the water and everything is ok.
I do 25% w/c every week.

Cheers, John

possibly the gills are irratated is the sand too fine, is there some fine particles in the water column, otherwise potentially a gill infection

I'm using crushed and coral sand as a substrate.

Wouldn worry about it have been keeping same fish fir over 15 years mine have always done it

All my malawis do this now and again. When i introduced some wilds into the tank they were all at it and used a gill fluke treatment and they were fine. Just keep an eye on it as long as it happens only everty so often its normal.

Thanks for the reply lads.
My fear is it was something like ich.

very unlikely to get ich on malawis..(not impossible though) of all the the fish I've kept down through the years they are the most likely to have a good "scratch" like a dog .either off a rock or the substrate.Usually it's nothing to worry about.keep any eye on them and if you can visualy spot anything then it's time to worry/medicate.

Thanks Gavin.
I have 2 rock works, 1 either side of the tank and its just open in the centre of the tank.
Thats where the rubbing is goin on.
Hopefully its nothin serious.

John

if they are looking good and feeding well they should be fine, even with crushed coral some fine dust like particles can be in the water colum and hence iratate their gills hence the flicking, it happens for the day after i do gravel cleans in my tank ( i use fine crushed coral as well) and afterwards their fine , some just do it for the heck of it as said above, but if appetite is affected or there is a fall off in condition treat for gill parasites...

just check you fish for the following
Is there a greyish white film on the fish, or a blue greyish film on the fish.
Is there a gold dusting on the fish or a rusty coloured varnish.
Any excess mucas on the fish body or gills.
Any tiny white spots on the fish, the size of a grain of salt.
Do the gills look red and inflamed, or pale with excess mucas.
Do the fish swim in a jerky movement.
Any signs of darting, erratic swimming, laboured breathing or gasping at surface of tank.
Any red pin pricks marks on the fish or red sores.
Get a magnifying glass and take a closer look at the fish for parasites. Also check that scales are not lifting

any of the above could suggest a problem with the fish, if none of the above are present your fish should be ok

also what are your water perameters things like a change in ph, excess in nitrites /nitrates ammonia etc can cause this as well, does this happen generally after a water change the change in the above values may also cause flicking or as said above the addition of freshwater into the tank may stir up the fine particles of sand and cause the flicking...

ok exhausted my ideas now

sheag 35 is on the money with his points.My malawi also do this from time to time.In my opion if the fish look healthy and have good colours and are eating well its nothing to worry about.I dont like to medicate unless i really have to

Thanks for the replys guys.
My cichlids look healthy, there only juvies but there flying around the tank.
Wild caught synos cats are great.