Fish acting weird, any ideas???

[normtp1]

Since my previous post "please help quick" my anenome has died. I checked the salinity and it is at about 1.24. the snails seem to be doing better. I still don't have a test kit (it is being shipped and should be here no later than friday). I have added two more hermits and all four are doing fine. My question comes with the fish. I have six green chromis, I just added one yesterday. the previous five had been doing well. Everything was fine until I left the house for a bit and came back home and turned the light on. All the fish looked black, and there was one that was on the ground dying. I took the guy out that was dying and put him in a bucket so not to infect the water if he does die. the one that is dying is not the new one and since the light has been on for awhile the other five have gotten their color back and are swimming around. The one in the bucket doesn't look good and is floating(laying on his side). did these guys just get stressed out or could it be the water levels or maybe the tempature? I forgot to turn the air on and the tank water got up to 80 degrees(I normally have it around 77).

 

[panchito]

When you turned your lights on was your house pitch black? if it was you may have shocked your fish, one way of doing it is turn some of the lights around your tank on and like in 5-10 minutes then turn your tank lights on, making it like a dust till dawn effect. I dont think it would have killed a fish, but that is why they change colors

 

[lcc]

The temp I do not believe would be a problem. 80 is a little high, but should not kill the fish. High temps and lights off will put the fish in a more sluggish, relaxed state. High Nitrates will also make fish sluggish you really need to test your water. To be on the safe side you might want to do a water change. Also, I have always been told not to test the water after a change for 24 to 48 hours.
I believe in water changes and testing my tank every 2 weeks. I do not do big changes; I do about 10 to 15 % every two weeks. This system has worked well for me because it has kept my Nitrates at 0 Nitrites 0 and Amn. 0
I also vacuum the bottom every two weeks along with two power heads pointing across the bottom to keep the waste from collecting.

 

[dugan]

I have never had a chromis but did have some blue devil damsels once. When they were 'sleeping' and the lights were off they would get very dark blue. As the lights came up in the morning they would slowly get their electric blue color back.
Katie

 

[pufferlover]

Yes it is a good idea to arrange to have your lights go out while a room light or other light is on. I do this by having 2 cheap pole lights with 25watt red party bulbs from Menards go on (have timers) a few minutes before main tank lights go off. That way if I am not home the fish are not thrown into pitch black conditions which can stress them out. I use the red because it is not bright and yet it gives the room light and a real sense of quiet at night. Sometimes I will come down (to basement fish room) and just watch the fish and inverts do their thing just be the red lights glow.