Yellowtail damsel dis coloration

[K-Mavz]

I need help guys what is happening to my damsel's color? why is it being brown? what will i do?

 

[RareEarthCorals]

Pictures?? It helps to see what you are seeing. Something you may not know is damsels can darken in color when under stress. New tank mates not getting along is one sign your damsel is getting picked on. Fin rot is also possible. Posting a clearly focused photo with good lighting will help!

 

[K-Mavz]

now its blue again

 

[RareEarthCorals]

Stress induced coloration, looks like your breaking in a new tank. Are you familiar with the cycle of a saltwater aquarium?

 

[K-Mavz]

yes the fish store told me to cycle my aquarium with damsel? is it true?

 

[Edsel Santoni]

Stress is a major factor in damsel discoloration. I recommend watching the damsel through out the day and looking any picking by other fish. It can also be that he doesn't have hiding places or is getting used to new water parameters if new.

 

[Edsel Santoni]

Also you should let water cycle first before adding fish, but after water is cycled then damsels are a good starting option.

 

[Mike in CT]

They will darken because of stress, and also when the lights are off possibly. Where are you on your cycle? Are you testing for ammonia? What size tank do you have?

 

[K-Mavz]

i only have 10 gallons for beginner reefer. thanks guys [emoji28]

 

[Mike in CT]

You will find this out sooner or later. The bigger the tank, the more stable, and easier to take care of. I can't tell you how many fish I lost early on when I had a 10 gallon tank. Them I moved up to a 30 and it was much more stable and forgiving. Not that a 10 gallon can't be done, but it can be tough when starting out. Be ready to do some water changes when you start to have ammonia start to show up. Or you might want to start changing a couple gallons a day to keep ahead of the game since you have a live fish in there.

 

[K-Mavz]

what is the ideal size for a perfect aquarium? because my father told me he will buy me bigger tank when my aquarium is successfull after 2 months [emoji23]

 

[Mike in CT]

A lot of people suggest a 40 gallon "breeder" tank is great tank to start with. It has great dimensions and if you live near a Petco, they have dollar per gallon sales so you can pick one up for 40 bucks. I would keep your 10 gallon....keep only 1 or 2 fish to keep it easy to handle, and read like crazy all the great information on here so when you are ready to upgrade you will ready to go!

 

[K-Mavz]

okay mike thanks. im gonna start saving money for a bigger tank [emoji3]

 

[RareEarthCorals]

Focusing on the one you have versus the one you dont, 10 gallon aquariums do benefit from frequent water changes during a cycle. Although you can use Seachem Prime to remove the ammonia if it is too high. Do you have a water test kit, Ph/Ammonia/nitrite/nitrate? This will be key to see how your tank is doing. If your not testing your flying blind. Your damsel is showing signs of stress so I would venture to say if you dont use some control you will have a dead damsel soon.