Yellow Tang

[DebL]

We recently purchased our beauty on Saturday and now we have this ugly brown on her underside and I don't think she's eating. We are fairly new (like REALLY new) to this game so any suggestions are welcomed. .

 

[cameronh]

@melypr1985

 

[Joey waid]

The damsel is not looking to good either. From what I can see. There's a lot of white on it too.

 

[MaiReef]

Start with your water parameters. Do you know if your tank is cycled? If you do not have testing equipment, take a sample to your lfs.

 

[Humblefish]

Are you seeing white dots or white dust on any of the fish?

 

[Brew12]

Is it breathing rapidly?

Correct me if I am wrong, but weren't you given the "less then helpful" advice from your LFS and they had you add fish to a tank that you just set up? If I remember right, you have been adding Stability to help control ammonia because it has been high. I feel terrible that your LFS let you get in this position but it is going to be important information to have in helping diagnose what is wrong with your fish.

 

[DebL]

The damsel is not looking to good either. From what I can see. There's a lot of white on it too.

That's a Domino damsel so the spots are his normal coloring

 

[DebL]

Is it breathing rapidly?

Correct me if I am wrong, but weren't you given the "less then helpful" advice from your LFS and they had you add fish to a tank that you just set up? If I remember right, you have been adding Stability to help control ammonia because it has been high. I feel terrible that your LFS let you get in this position but it is going to be important information to have in helping diagnose what is wrong with your fish.

Yes, we're the newbies that put fish in the tank before it was fully cycled per the advise of one of the lfs. I don't notice any rapid breathing but it is staying very close to it's chosen rock and I haven't see it eat today.

 

[Brew12]

Yes, we're the newbies that put fish in the tank before it was fully cycled per the advise of one of the lfs. I don't notice any rapid breathing but it is staying very close to it's chosen rock and I haven't see it eat today.

Were you able to get some Biospira and add it to the tank? What is your ammonia at currently?

 

[Joey waid]

That's a Domino damsel so the spots are his normal coloring

I'm talking about the dusty white on the black. It's hard to tell because the glass is dusty too.

 

[DebL]

Were you able to get some Biospira and add it to the tank? What is your ammonia at currently?

We have something called Ammo-lock that I put in this morning when it came. Last night the ammonia was 1.5. I'll retest it in just a little while

 

[Joey waid]

We have something called Ammo-lock that I put in this morning when it came. Last night the ammonia was 1.5. I'll retest it in just a little while

If it's 1.5, that's through the roof. It's supposed to be .000, max would be .05.

 

[DebL]

Are you seeing white dots or white dust on any of the fish?

No, don't see any white dots or dust on any if them

 

[Brew12]

We have something called Ammo-lock that I put in this morning when it came. Last night the ammonia was 1.5. I'll retest it in just a little while

Ammo-lock "should" keep the ammonia from harming the fish if regularly reapplied. After 2 or 3 days the ammonia "unlocks" and can become toxic to fish again. A product like Biospira will add the bacteria you need to convert the ammonia to nitrite then to nitrate and is readily available at Petco. Your LFS may have other types of a similar product. Just ask for a "Nitrifying Bacteria" product.

 

[DebL]

Ammo-lock "should" keep the ammonia from harming the fish if regularly reapplied. After 2 or 3 days the ammonia "unlocks" and can become toxic to fish again. A product like Biospira will add the bacteria you need to convert the ammonia to nitrite then to nitrate and is readily available at Petco. Your LFS may have other types of a similar product. Just ask for a "Nitrifying Bacteria" product.

I will try to get it this evening from Petco and get it started.

 

[Joey waid]

I will try to get it this evening from Petco and get it started.

Doing water changes would really help too.

 

[Brew12]

I will try to get it this evening from Petco and get it started.

Good luck! Hopefully this information will help @Humblefish and/or @melypr1985 help with any diagnosis or recommendations.

We understand when people are trying to do the right thing but are given poor advice. There just isn't much you can do about it other than move forward and trust that you find a better source of advice in the future.

 

[DebL]

Doing water changes would really help too.

We've heard two different opinions on this - one said to do it, and another said not to because it's a new tank and not fully cycled.

 

[DebL]

Good luck! Hopefully this information will help @Humblefish and/or @melypr1985 help with any diagnosis or recommendations.

We understand when people are trying to do the right thing but are given poor advice. There just isn't much you can do about it other than move forward and trust that you find a better source of advice in the future.

Thank you for the help and advice! Hopefully one day we won't be the panicky newbies.

 

[Joey waid]

I have 5 tanks I built from scratch for qt purposes and fish have been in there for two months now from day one. To get your ammonia down and bacteria up you need 40% water changes at east every other day depending on how the tanks ammonia is ramping up. It's either that or see if the store will hold them until the tank cycles completely.