HUGE Question

[Alicia]

This is a huge question/problem.
Today I bought 6 Black Phase Acei from a guy and when I got them they were black with yellow tails. When I went to work they still looked the same. About 2 hours into my shift my boyfriend called me to tell me that my tank temp was at 86 degrees !!!! So, we got that cleared up (found out the light was incandesent). Now my fish have lost almost all coloring except for the tails, which are even starting to lose their yellowness.
I couldn't find much info on these fish except that they grow to be about 5 inches in length. I have them in a tank with plants and white sand. I was wondering if these fish change color due to their surroundings or if the water temp spike shocked them that much?
Please help me with this. I want to help them if this is possible.
I have hard water, and my ph is 7.8

I'm not sure if this should go here or over in the Cichlid Fourm, so I thought that I would go with my gut instinct and post here

 

[OrionGirl]

A serious change in temp will stress fish, and loss of color is a frequent reaction. I'd slowly reduce the temp, and see if they recover. It can take a day or two in some fish, while in other, the color change is almost immediate (for both stress and 'happy' conditions).

 

[Alicia]

I am slowly lowering it. We turned the light off, thank goodness that I took the heater out when I put the fish in there of they probably woulda died
Anyhow, does anyone know where I can get some good info on these fish? I already did a Google search and I couldn't find anything.

 

[Alicia]

The temp is still at 80 this morning. I am gonna move the tank to a spot in the house where the temp don't get that warm. Right now I have them in my kitchen, and I am gonna move them into my living room.
I had a cool suprise this morning, they are starting to establish territories This is cool. I've never had Cichlids before. Now I can see why lots of people end up getting only them. They are so active and fun to watch