Damsels Dying

[rjohnson]

My tank is about 2 months old, and I put in damsels on friday. Only 2 are left alive, I tested the water and the readings are: ph 8.1
amonia 0, nitrite .05, nitrate 1, the one fish left has really swollen looking lips. Can anyone tell me what could be wrong?

 

[mako]

How did you introduce the fish into your inviroment? do you have any metals in your tank or your filters like hose clamps or things like that. When was the last time you added salt and how did you do it?
damsels are a very hardy fish and it is unusal for a lot of them to die at once it could be that they were sick when you bought them.Aside from there lips what did there gills look like and how were they breathing?Do you have any live rock,corals,inverts that would keep you from medacating?

 

[rjohnson]

the fish had only been in the store for 1 day. I have live rock and live sand in the tank. No salt has been added since i set up the tank. Salinity reading is 1.22. I recently added ph buffer as it was reading 8.4. The seem to be breating ok, but turn a dark color just before they died

 

[mr . salty]

Been in the store one day!!!!! The fish guy really should not have sold you those fish. Usually one move will stress out a fish,just immagin two. These fish probably died of stress, They also could have had a disese, But we'll never know. Allways better to buy fish that have been in the store awhile,ask to see them eat, ask if the store will hold them for a week. STEVE
[This message has been edited by MR . SALTY (edited 07-09-2000).]

 

[jtirone]

I had the smae problem with a couple of yellow tails. IT was the same thing. Stress is a big problem for these fish.
what kind of damsels were they.

 

[mako]

My guess would be sick from the start can you go back to the store and see how many other fish have died at the store and then try to find a new suppler also they way you introduce your anamils is very important I float mine for 20 min. then open the bag and pour 1 cup of tank water in every 3 to 5 min untill the bag is full this usally takes around an hour and a half this lets the anamils gradully get used to temp, salanity, ph ect. not saying that your maybe out of line but the supplers might be